Gool Killings: Curfew, clashes in Kashmir; Massive protests across Jammu region 38 Injured In Police Action; Separatists Confined To Houses, Jails Srinagar/Jammu, July 19: At least 25 people were injured in clashes that erupted in most parts of Kashmir on Friday against the killing of four civilians by Border Security Force (BSF) in Gool area of Ramban on Thursday. The Government enforced curfew in all major towns of Kashmir to prevent protests and thwart the ‘Lal Chowk Chalo’ call of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front. At least13 persons were also injured in a clash between police and protesters in Doda township, even as protest demonstrations rocked almost all parts of the region, including the Jammu city, on Friday against the alleged desecration of holy Quran and the Gool killings. CENTRAL KASHMIR In central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, two youth were injured when police opened fire to disperse aprotest rally at Kurhma village of Lar Tehsil on Srinagar-Leh highway. Locals said that heavy contingents of police and CRPF intercepted a protest rally in the area soon after Friday prayers. Locals said that Muhammad Yusuf Ganai (23) of Kurhama and Zahoor Ahmad (18) of Yangoora Lar were critically injured. The police fired when huge gathering of protesting youth defied the curfew and pelted stones on police and CRPF. Locals said that police used force and opened fire in which Yusuf received bullet in abdomen and another bullethit the ear of Zahoor. Both were rushed to SKIMS. Reports of clashes between forces and youth came in from hospital road Dudarhama, main market Beehama, Sindh bridge Kangan and Manigam. At Manigam, after dawn prayers locals made announcement through public address system of a Masjid and appealed the people to come on roads to stage protests against arrest of some youth of the village. Soon after the announcement, scoresof people assembled and held strong protests. The protestors fought pitched battles with the forces. At Manigam and Kangan police resortedto lathi charge and fired tear smoke shells to disburse the protesters. In Nunar, youth erected barricades and burnt tyres on roads. Reports of protests were also received from Safapora where locals assembled outside Jamia Masjid after prayers and staged peaceful protests. Superintendent of Police (SP) Ganderbal, Shahid Meraj told Greater Kashmir that two youth were injuredat Kurhama due to pallets and tear smoke shells. "We did not open fire anywhere. Except some clashes at Kurhama and Kangan, the situation isnormal,” SP Shahid said. In Srinagar, protests erupted soon after morning prayers, however theywere contained after heavy contingents of forces arrived in localities for clamping curfew. Anticipating massive protests on the call of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Lal Chowk Chalo by JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik against the Gool killings, curfew was imposed in Srinagar city and hundreds of additional cops and paramilitary CRPF troopers were deployed on roads. In some parts of old Srinagar including Khanyar, Nowhatta, RajouriKadal, violent clashes erupted soon after morning prayers. The protestors pelted stones on the forces. Two police vehicles were damaged during the clashes. Pedestrian and vehicular movement was blocked by laying spools of concertina wires and barricades in the city, however in uptown people were allowed to move from one place to another without any restrictions. In civil lines area of city, police was also deployed in Batamaloo, Tengpora, Qamarwari, Maisuma, Magarmal Bagh, Rambagh, Hyderpora and other areas. Stone pelting incidents were reported from Saraibala, Khanyar, Soura, S.D. Colony Batamaloo and Rainawari. Two CRPF personnel were injured during the clashes in Khanyarwho were shifted to Rainawari Hospital. The police and paramilitary personnel didn’t allow people to offerFriday prayers in Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid. NORTH KASHMIR: Amid curfew in various localities of Bandipora, people took to roads afterFriday prayers and staged protest demonstrations. The protests were held in Bandipora,Saderkoot, Naidkhai, Hajin, Nowgam, Shadipora and Papchan areas where people took to roads after Friday prayers against Gool killings. Violent protests erupted in Sumbal and Naidkhai, Bandipora town and Papchan where protesters clashed with forces. Clashes continued till the deployment was removed from roads. In Sumbal and Naidkhai, police burst tear smoke shells and cane charged the protesters. The pitched battles between protesters and forces were going on till this report was being filed. At least 11 people were injured during the ensuing clashes in Naidkhai. Protestors turned violent when CRPF fired pellet injuring Tawfeeq Ahmed who was referred toSumbal Hospital. Reports said the forces lobbed tear-smoke shells and fired pellets to disperse the protesters. #dar
Posted on: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 22:18:54 +0000