Aakash Hassan
ISLAMABAD
Violent clashes broke out in Ashmuji area of Kulgam district after forces ransacked the venue of a pro-freedom rally by burning the tents, stage and breaking window panes of houses and cars.
The rally, reportedly, was going on in Eidgah Ashmuji till 12 in the noon. But a large posse of police forces cracked down on the venue.
The locals said that the forces burned down the tents and the stage costing lacks of rupees.
The civilians who had assembled for the proposed rally retaliated to the police action and thereby clashes broke out, resulting in minor and major injuries to at least 30 people including 8 women.
Some of the injured are being treated locally while others have been shifted to District Hospital Kulgam.
Meanwhile, in Fatehpur area of Islamabad district, forces clashed with people after they tried to foil the rally that is being held in a nearby Sadura village. At least a dozen of people have been injured in the clashes. Locals alleged that the forces vandalised property and damaged electricity transformers.
Despite police attempting to foil the rally, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the rally.
Later police again tried to disperse the rally but was unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, in the Vessu Qazigund, clashes erupted after the funeral prayers of Basit Ahanger, a youth who was killed on Saturday evening by forces.
This lead to the closure of Srinagar-Jammu Highway and the vehicular movement on the highway remained off. Many trucks and public carriers including private vehicles have been stopped at Jawahar Tunnel.
In Changoo Dooru a pro-freedom rally was held in which hundreds of people from nearly localities participated.
As the crackdown on the pro-freedom rallies intensifies in the rural areas of south-Kashmir, people particularly youth have started guarding the village entrances during day and night times.
