KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The 56th day of mass civil uprising on Friday witnessed scaling up of pro-freedom demonstrations.
Government re-imposed curfew across Kashmir after a gap of four days as on August 29, 2016, curfew was lifted after it continued for consecutive 52 days.
South Kashmir witnessed strict curfew, however, North Kashmir witnessed mass pro-freedom rallies, protests and clashes.
With Danish’s killing, the death toll since July 09, 2016 has risen up to 73 while over 250 civilians were injured in day long clashes today. Over 10000 civilians have been injured in the mass protests triggered by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 08, 2016.
The unified resistance leadership has called for Azadi March today. Educational institutions, main markets were closed and public transport remained suspended.
Protests erupted at New Colony Palpora Eidgah area of Srinagar city when the body of a minor boy drowned after being chased by forces on Thursday evening was retrieved from river Jhelum on Friday around 12 PM.
Body of 12 year-old-Danish Sultan Haroo, son of Muhammad Sultan of Palpora, was retrieved by locals.
Danish, a student of Oxford Public School along with his companions had jumped into river when forces chased them at Parimpora.
Eyewitnesses said that shortly after the body of Danish was retrieved, large number of people assembled their and held a massive anti-India protest.
Amid pro-freedom slogans, body was taken to Eidgah Martyrs grave yard in form of a procession which witnessed participation of thousands of people.
However, forces intercepted the rally at Wanyaar and fired tear gas shells on it but after CRPF men and JKP cops saw huge numbers, witnesses said, forces stopped. Then elderly persons talked to them and the procession marched towards Eidgah where after Nimaz-e-Jinazah, Danish was laid inside the grave.
However, after mourners were returning from Martyrs Graveyard, intense clashes broke out in the area after reinforcements were called in by the already stationed forces. They resorted to heavy tear-gas shelling and soon strict curfew was imposed.
Reports of clashes between forces and the protesters poured in from different parts of Srinagar city.
Around 2000 pro-freedom protestors formed a rally at Shalteng on Friday evening following which massive clashes erupted.
“The pro-freedom protestors came from Zainakote, Mustafabad, Umarabad, Shalteng and Maloora areas,” local sources said.
Amid pro-freedom slogans, the sources said, they youth took out a rally. “But police and CRPF lobbed scores of tear gas canisters and it has become impossible to breathe normally,” a caller from Shalteng area said.
The locals said that protestors marched towards Mustafabad and Umarabad where clashes are going on this time, reports said.
Clashes broke out in Kaka Sarai area of downtown Srinagar after forces fired teargas shells into a protest rally.
Reports said that hundreds of protesters, including women and children, took out a rally to demanding release of youths arrested by police.
Witnesses said that many people were wounded in forces action. The protesters said that scores of youth have been picked up by police during nocturnal raids.
Clashes broke out in Pantha Chowk area after forces fired tear gas canisters on protesters in the locality.
A protest rally was carried out by the locals in the area while forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters triggering clashes.
Witnesses said that clashes also broke out in Lasjan area during which forces used tear smoke shells to disperse the youth who were pelting stones on them.
Similar protests were also reported from Soura area of city.
Eye witness said as protestors raising pro-freedom slogans were stopped by forces from moving ahead. Police and CRPF men fired several tear gas canisters to disperse them but youths continued protests in the areas.
Intense clashes erupted at Barthana Parimpora area in the city outskirts on Friday morning.
Locals said that over a dozen protesters were injured during clashes four among them were shifted to JVC hospital.
They said police arrested one youth during clashes. Clashes erupted soon after locals started protesting against the drowning incident of a minor identified as Danish.
Clashes also broke out in Zampa Kadal where protesters demanded release of the arrested youths who were detained last late night.
Reports said that pro-freedom rallies and protests were held in Old Barzulla, Mehjoor Nagar Natipora, Noorbagh, Brein Nishat Shivpora and Sonawar.
Eyewitnesses said that after Friday prayers culminated in Shivpora area, youths took to streets against the civilian killings in Kashmir valley.
They said the youths were chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. The youths were marching towards the highway, however, a contingent of paramilitary CRPF men intercepted them, triggering massive clashes.
The forces smashed window panes of some houses and also beat up inmates.
Mehrajuddin Bhat, son of Abdul Rehman Bhat was shifted to SKIMS Soura after he received serious pellet injuries at Brein Nishat during clashes with forces.
In Srinagar, heavy clashes broke out between forces and protesters in Rainawari area of downtown.
Soon after Friday congregational prayers, people took to the streets and started a peaceful march towards the main chowk.
However, a large contingent of police and para-military troops geared with anti-riots equipment deployed stopped the protesters resulting in massive stone pelting. The police fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
The stone pelting incidents were also reported from Naidyar, Jogi-lankar, Zindshah Masjid, Mian Shah Sahib and other interior parts of the area.
Earlier, a joint congregational Friday prayers were held at the DAV school in Dalkawpoor.
A 40-member coordination committee that comprises presidents of 40 localities of Rainawari was also formed.
The coordination committee gave the blueprint to form a Bait-ul-Maal to look after needy people.
A pro-freedom rally was held in Budgam district that was attended by thousands of people.
As many as 72 persons were injured in clashes between forces and protestors in Kupwara and Beerwah area of Kupwara and Budgam districts.
In Kupwara’s Kralpora area 13 people were injured in clashes between people and forces. One person has been hit by pellets in one eye. In Langate, 33 people were injured while four people were arrested. In Hatmullah area, 10 people were injured in clashes.
Meanwhile, reports said that clashes broke out between forces and protesters in Beerwah area of Budgam district on Friday afternoon.
Soon after Friday congregational prayers, people took to the streets and started a peaceful march.
Clashes broke out when people reached near the local police station. Reports added that 16 people have been injured and shifted to local hospital.
A massive pro-freedom rally was organized in Hanjivera Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Protesters shortly after Friday congregational prayers hit roads and amid pro-freedom slogans marched through the lanes and bye-lanes of the area.
Eyewitnesses said that over a dozen people were wounded in different areas of Pattan town including Palhallan, Singhpora, Malpora, Miya Mohalla, Hamray, Nihalpora, Tapper and other areas during clashes that erupted between protesters and the forces.
Some protesters suffered pellet injuries and were shifted to SMHS hospital Srinagar.
In Palhallan area, thousands of people from Goshbugh and Wussan villages offered prayers at Eidgah Palhallan.
Shortly after the culmination of Friday prayers, people tried to march towards Srinagar-Muzafarabad road, however, they were stopped by police that triggered clashes.
Locals said that forces used pellet guns injuring more than 10 protesters.
Many people were wounded in clashes that erupted between protesters and forces in Sopore town.
Witnesses said that a procession was taken out by people from Jamia Masjid Sopore. Some youths present in the procession pelted stones on police triggering clashes.
Clashes erupted in Hajin in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district after protesters attacked the Army Goodwill School located in the area.
Forces fired teargas shells and pellets to disperse the protesters, triggering massive clashes. Reports of clashes were also reported from Nowpora and Gulshan chowk areas of the district.
The residents of Natpora village of Bandipora said that the forces barged into their homes and beat up the inmates.
“Forces barged into our homes last evening without any provocation, thrashed the inmates and ransacked the houses,” said a resident. He said there were no stone-pelting protests going on in the area when the forces carried out the vandalism.
After Friday congregational prayers ended in the local Masjids, clashes erupted between youth and forces in several areas including Ajar, main town, Papchan, Khumina and Hajin area of Bandipora district.
Witnesses said that in main town, four youth sustained injuries during the clashes in the area and one of the injured persons is reported suffered a pellet injury in his eye.
“He was referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment,” witnesses said.
They said that forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the women protesters in Khumina area of the district. Six youths were reported to have sustained injuries in the area.
Meanwhile, reports said that a pro-freedom rally was carried out from Jamia Masjid after congregational Friday prayers in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. People from Nusoo, Hajam Mohalla and Nibripora also took out a protest rally and marched towards Gulshan Chowk.
Reports said that peaceful protest rallies were also carried out in Ajar, Ayathmulla, Kaloosa, Ashtengoo, Aloosa, Kehnusa, Papchan, Aloosa, Hajin and Naidkhai, main town, Aloosa, Ajas, Ashtangoo, Ahiemsharief, Papchan, Hajin, Naidkhi, saderkoot Bala and Nusso areas of the district.
Sixty two political workers and three Sarpanchs announced their resignation on Friday in a massive public rally in Nadihal village of Baramulla district where a teen killed in firing by forces two days ago.
Thousands of people gathered in a local playground in the village where a massive pro-freedom rally was held.
62 activists of various pro-India political parties and three Sarpanchs announced their resignation during the rally.
“All the activists said that they had resigned on their own and the decision was not taken under any pressure,” said the eyewitnesses.
A large number of youths pelted stones on police station Sumbal. Police retaliated with tear-smoke shells. Reports said that clashes in Sumbal continued for hours.
Massive pro-freedom rallies were organized in different areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Such rallies were held in Lelhar, Samboora, Kak Pora, Karimabad, Rajpora, Littar, Drabgam, Rohmu, Muran, Newa, Tahab, Hawl, Dangarpora and other parts of the district.
Civil Society members staged a peaceful pro-freedom protest in Pulwama town. People at Gadoora village staged a protest against arrest spree.
According to protesters police picked up five youth during nocturnal raids whom they identified as Naseer Ahmed Pandit, Adil Ahmed Wani, Muzaffar Ahmed, Arshid Ahmad and Owais Ahmed Wagay.
Protests were also held in different parts of Kulgam district including Bugam, Bogund, Muhammadpora, Yaripora, Toolinowpora, Soput, Tangapora, Koimou, Srindhu, Panewa and other areas.
The effigies of Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti were set in fire at Srindhu and Qaimoh. Stone pelting incidents were also reported from Lower Munda Qazigund.
Police imposed curfew to foil a pro-freedom rally at Dooru Islamabad.
However, people assembled in the adjacent village Mehmoodabad and organized a massive pro-freedom rally.
The people who assembled in the rally in Mehmoodabad sought immediate release of a local youth. “Otherwise we will start Jail-Bharo movement,” the locals warned the administration.
Protest marches were also taken out in Bijbehara, Chee, Seer Hamdan and other areas of the district.
Reports said that miscreants attacked a hospital ambulance near Behram Sahab Harnag area in which three hospital employees were injured.
At least 12 civilians were injured in two different incidents in Shopian and Islamabad districts of South Kashmir on Friday evening.
Reports said that clashes erupted on Hospital road Shopian in which four youths were injured.
“One of them was hit by pellets in eye and he was rushed to a Srinagar hospital for advanced treatment,” Shopian hospital sources said.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted in Kanipora area of the district and 4 civilians were injured in forces action.
“One of the four persons was hit by a tear gas shell in his head,” the hospital sources said, “he was critical and rushed to Srinagar.”
In Islamabad’s Khanbal area, reports said that clashes erupted between forces and protestors in the evening.
At least 04 civilians were injured.
“Two of the injured persons were referred to Srinagar after being given treatment at Islamabad district hospital. They were hit by pellets in eyes,” a doctor at Islamabad hospital said.
Clashes broke out in Tral town when youths pelted stones on forces near Eidgah.
Protests also broke out in Dadsara after a youth, Nisar Ahmed Rather, was booked under Public Safety Act.
What did resistance program said: 2nd September (Friday, No Relaxation)
Tehsil level Azadi March; join for Azadi march from every Mohalla, village and locality towards respective Tehsil Headquarters; Offer Friday prayers at Tehsil Headquarters.
Meanwhile, J&K Police said that curfew was imposed in Srinagar, towns of Islamabad, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Baramulla today.
The police said that 35 stone pelting incidents were reported from Srinagar, Sopore, Islamabad, Pulwama, Shopian, Baramulla, Bandipora, Kulgam and Kupwara till the filing of this report.
“At these places, after Friday prayers miscreants assembled on the roads and pelted stones on police and security force deployments,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that last evening some unknown persons set ablaze a Vocational Training Center at Watergam in the jurisdiction of Police Station Dangiwacha, Sopore, resulting in complete damage to the structure.
“Sopore police have registered a case in this regard,” he said.
(With Shah Hilal, Aakash Hassan in Islamabad; Shaikh Hilal in Shopain and inputs from CNS and KNS.)
