KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Hundreds of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), SOG, CRPF and police men raided a South Kashmir hamlet on Friday even as they banned media personnel from covering the events unfolding in the area.
Reports said that a pro-freedom rally was scheduled to be held in Sofshali hamlet in Kokernag in Islamabad district.
“Over a thousand men in uniform raided our village around ^ AM this morning,” a resident of Sofshali. “They went berserk damaging windows, doors, vehicles and other valuable things.”
The rally was planned to be held after mandatory congregational prayers.
“When people tried to protest the high handedness of forces, they fired tear gas canisters, pellets and PAVA shells,” the local said.
The clashes continued in which many people were injured. One elderly, Gh Nabi Shaikh (50), was hit by a tear gas shell in face. He is being treated but stable.
Another youth, Irshad Ahmad Gagroo, was arrested by police evoking intense clashes.
“The people are preparing to march towards Kokernag but forces have closed all entries,” a local said. Besides, two electricity transformer, 250 and 400 KVs were damaged by forces, a local said.
Meanwhile, when local reporters and photo/video journalists were on way to Sofshali, forces stopped them.
“You return or face consequences,” a cop told the media men, “you can’t enter the village.”
The media men said that at least 60 vehicles carrying RR, CRPF and police men were leaving the hamlet when they were about to enter the village but were stopped.
