KHALID GUL/GOWHAR BHAT Smaller Default LargerIslamabad/Srinagar, Aug 20: The number of civilians killed by police and CRPF in the ongoing unrest since June 11 reached 62 as a youth was shot dead in Islamabad in South Kashmir while a Sopur youth who had sustained fatal injuries in CRPF action late last evening succumbed to injuries at SKIMS this morning. A youth was shot dead while eight others injured, three of them with bullets, when police and paramilitary forces resorted to indiscriminate firing on protesters in Bijbehara town of South Kashmir's Islamabad district on Friday. At least 30 people, three with rubber bullets, were injured in the clashes between the protesters and the forces in Shopian town. Early in the morning people in Bijbehara town took to streets and protested against Thursdays CRPF action in which several people sustained injuries one of whom, Showkat Ahmad Salroo, had to be referred to SKIMS. People alleged that the CRPF men without any provocation severely thrashed the residents.
"A huge contingent of police and CRPF men appeared on the spot and resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the protesters. The protesters retaliated by pelting stones and bricks," eyewitnesses said.
They said that as some of the protesters who were chased away by the forces ran towards the sub-district hospital, the CRPF men fired upon them injuring one Aquib Bashir son of Bashir Ahmad Ganai. Aquib received a bullet in the shoulder and was immediately admitted in the hospital.
Later after the Friday prayer, hundreds of people again took to the streets on Srinagar-Jammu highway and staged a massive pro-freedom demonstration.
Police and CRPF men deployed there again resorted to indiscriminate firing killing Nazir Ahmed Wani son of Abdul Rehman Wani, aged 27, of Persha Mohallah on the spot and injuring one more youth, Bashir Ahmad. Bashir was admitted in the hospital. Six other people who were mercilessly beaten up by the police and CRPF men where admitted in the sub-district hospital Bijbehara.
As soon as the word about the death of the youth spread in the town announcements were made from the loudspeakers of the masjids asking people to come out. Thousands of people later carried the body of the deceased youth as the funeral procession after marching through the streets of the town reached Jamia Masjid. After performing the Nimazah Jinazah, the youth was laid to rest in a nearby graveyard.
The angry youth later attacked police station Bijbehara and tried to set it ablaze by hurling petrol bombs into it. However, police and CRPF fired hundreds of rounds in air and dispersed the youth. The protesters later set three vehicles in the compound of the police station on fire. Clashes and protests were on when reports last came in.
Curfew was lifted from Islamabad town after seven days as people started their work after 12 noon. However, after Friday prayers pro-freedom demonstrations were carried out from Jamia Masjid Ahlihadith, Rehat-Ded masjid Lal Chowk and Jamia Masjid Hanfia. The precisionists then marched towards the house of Irshad Ahmad Latoo in S.K colony, killed in CRPF firing on Saturday, to express solidarity with his family. In Mattan town despite severe restrictions people marched towards the house of slain youth, Muhammad Abass Dhobi, who succumbed to injuries after being severely thrashed by the CRPF personnel.
In Shopian town, early in the morning people took to streets and organized massive pro-freedom demonstrations. The youth later entered into clashes with police and CRPF men who resorted to intense tear gas shelling and baton charging injuring several persons. Police then used rubber bullets to quell the protesters. Three youth, namely Riyaz Ahmad Malik, Bilal Ahmad Ganai and Tariq Ahmad who sustained rubber bullet injuries were referred to Srinagar.
"Two policemen of IRP Battalion were also injured after being hit by the rubber bullets fired by their own men," police sources said. After the Friday prayers a huge procession was taken out from the Jamia Masjid which marched through the town.
Massive pro-freedom demonstrations were taken after Friday prayers in Pulwama, Kakpora, Pampore and Tral townships.
In Kulgam, thousands of people took to streets after Friday prayers and staged massive pro-freedom demonstrations. Curfew was clamped in Qaimoh town of Kulgam. However, massive protests rocked Khudwani, Redwani, Wanpora and Rampura areas. Thousands of people also marched towards the house of 8-year old Milad, who succumbed to his injuries in SKIMS on Thursday, and expressed solidarity with the bereaved.
At Srigufwara, Bijbehera, the families of former Ikhwanis or counter-insurgents attacked a pro-freedom procession, triggering clashes. Police and CRPF lobbed teargas shells to control the situation.
NORTH KASHMIR:
A teenager was killed and three others wounded when paramilitary CRPF troopers fired pellets on protesters in Sopur town Thursday night.
Eyewitness told Greater Kashmir that paramilitary CRPF troopers fired upon peaceful protesters with 12 bore gun late night wounding four civilians.
Two of the wounded Mudasir Nazir Hajam, 19, son of Nazir Ahmad and Danish Ramzan son of Muhammad Ramzan Sheikh were shifted to SKIMS from sub-district hospital Sopur for specialized treatment.
Mudasir Nazir, however, succumbed to injuries late night.
Mudasir had more than 100 perforations on body and his intestines were extensively damaged, doctors said.
As his body was brought to native area, thousands of people participated in his funeral prayers and he was laid to rest in local martyrs graveyard.
Fierce clashes erupted between police and paramilitary CRPF troopers in several areas of town after the youth was laid to rest.
The angry protesters raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans and pelted forces with stones.
Four persons were wounded in Takibal, Sopur, when Rapid Action Force personnel fired rubber bullets on protesters.
At Bomai, people took out a huge procession and marched on roads. However, 192 Battalion CRPF caned the protesters and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them.
Witnesses said the CRPF personnel also beat up women in the area while chasing away protesters. They also ventured into residential areas and damaged houses.
In Kupwara district, people defied curfew at several places and staged protests demonstrations. Authorities clamped curfew in all the major towns including Kupwara, Trehgam, Kralpora, Handwara, Kulangam, Langate and Chotipora.
Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in all sensitive areas and the residents were asked not to step out.
However, after Friday prayers people defied curfew and staged protest at Handwara, Hairpora, Langate, Magam, Kulangam, Kralgund, Kralora and Handwara.
They raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. Paramilitary CRPF and police intercepted the protestors at several places and resorted to cane charge and tear gas shelling.
Witnesses said that CRPF personnel ruthlessly beat up carpenters and labourers working in the compound of Jamia Masjid, Kralpora.
For the second consecutive Friday, people were not allowed to offer prayers at Jamia Masjid Trehgam as a strict curfew is in place for the past nine days.
The continued curfew has resulted in the acute shortage of essential commodities in the area.
Protests also broke out at Kunzer, Tangmarg in afternoon. People staged demos on Srinagar-Gulmarg road and raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Locals alleged that Army troopers barged into residential houses and beat up inmates for staging protests in the area.
Six persons were injured in the Army action. One of them had serious head injuries and was identified as Altaf Ahmad Wani of Kaechmatipora.
At least a dozen youth were detained by police during the protests which continued till late evening.
In Varmul, people defied curfew in the town and staged massive demonstrations on cement bridge, Azad Gunj and Harpora bridges after prayers.
The protesters pelted stones on police and CRPF troopers who lobbed teargas shells. At least 10 protesters sustained injuries in the police action.
In Ganderbal, at least eight persons including three policemen were injured in the separate incidents of stone pelting across this district on Friday.
Eyewitness said after Friday prayers, youth staged protests and pelted police and CRPF with stones at Beehama, Duderhama, Saloora, Wanipora, Buderkund and Giraj.
Police responded by teargas shelling to disperse them. However protesters engaged them in ding doing clashes resulting in injuries to eight persons including a few policemen. The injured were shifted to SDH Ganderbal for treatment.
Meanwhile, the residence of Duderhama, Saloora and Wanipora alleged that police and CRPF ransacked their houses, broke window panes and beat the inmates. Police have also detained several youth across the district.
SRINAGAR:
As Hurriyat had called off strike from 12 noon, shops, businesses and offices opened and vehicular traffic resumed on roads.
However, ahead and after Friday prayers protests broke out at a number of places including Shiraz Chowk, Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Gojwara, Bohri Kadal, Kawdara and old Dalgate.
The protesters protested the killings of the peaceful protesters in police and CRPF firing. They raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Residents of Sheshgari Mohalla, Khanyar said that forces damaged the windowpanes of their houses and roughed up civilians.
At Burzhama in the city outskirts, hundreds of people from neighbouring localities assembled and offered Friday prayers following which they took out a massive pro-freedom procession.
The procession while marching towards Hazratbal was forcefully intercepted by police and CRPF at Batapora.
The forces cane charged and lobbed teargas shells on the protesters injuring several of them. Witnesses said 15 persons were injured, two of them seriously, in the police action. Six injured were shifted to SKIMS.
During the action against protesters, locals said, police and CRPF ran wild and entered into a number of residential houses at Batapora and damaged property.
They smashed the windowpanes of the houses and the vehicles parked in the compounds of the houses.
At Kralpora, Budgam, protesters who were staging demonstrations pelted stones on a cash van of J&K Bank. However, the escort vehicle of the van managed to get it out in time.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani was placed under house arrest at his residence this morning as a preventive measure.
Police said Geelani was put under house arrest as he was planning to lead congregational prayers at Hyderpora.
PROTESTS ACROSS PIR PANCHAL:
Unabated killings of innocent youth in Kashmir sparked off protest demonstrations across Kishtwar and Doda districts of Chenab Valley and Rajouri and Poonch districts of Pir Panchal.
Reports said people took to streets and held protest demonstrations at some places, voice of concern was raised and special prayers were held for restoration of peace to Valley during Friday prayers in most areas of the region.
Kishtwar observed complete shutdown in response to a call by the local separatist leaders. Shops and other business establishments in most parts of the town were closed, throwing the normal life out of gear.
A large number of people assembled inside the Jamia Masjid complex and held a noisy protest demonstrations. Amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans the protestors deplored the killings of innocent civilians by the police and troops in Kashmir Valley.
A number of leaders including Imam Moulana Farooq Ahmed and separatists leaders Ghulam Nabi Gundna, Molvi Qayoom and Abdul Gani Shah addressed the protestors and said that the people across the state have sacrificed for a just and genuine cause. They asked the Government of India and state government to stop repressive measures in the Valley, failing which people from entire state would come on roads.
Similar protest demonstration was also held in Bhaderwah, where people observed a complete shutdown. People assembled in large number outside Jamia Masjid and staged a demonstration which marched up to state guest house, where number of leaders addressed the protestors.
Reports from Poonch district revealed that people took to streets in Surankote area and staged a protest demonstration. Apart from separatist and opposition leaders, some local leaders from ruling National Conference also reportedly participated in the protest.
Strong voice of resentment was also raised by Imams in most other parts of the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch during the Friday prayers.
(With inputs from Sheikh Nasir, Shafiq Mir)
Muslims "must" unite all over the World
and pray for the appearance of al Mahdi (r.a.) the Savior of mankind
the descendant of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
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