KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
At least five persons were arrested during pro-freedom protests in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday.
Reports reaching here said that pro-freedom protests erupted in main Trehgam after mid-day prayers and men in uniform resorted to tear gas shelling.
“Forces lobbed shells as protests were going on which evoked intense stone pelting,” local sources said, “the forces chased the protestors as they ran for safety.”
They said at least five of the people were arrested. However, they could not be identified immediately.
Soon after the protests, sources said that announcements were made on Masjid loud speakers asking people to come out on roads against the arbitrary arrests. Protests were going on when last reports came in.
The locals claimed that the detained persons were “not involved in stone pelting at all”. “They were nabbed by forces and ruthlessly beaten before whisking them away to their camps,” they said.
The locals of Trehgam said that since July 09, 2016 – the day when mass uprising was triggered – huge contingents of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), CRPF and J&K Police are manning the roads of Trehgam every day.
“Casper vehicles have been stationed at many check points,” the locals said.
Meanwhile, at least three persons were injured in clashes last evening in the same area, locals added. In nearby Gugloosa, the sources added, “locals are aghast at the ransacking done by forces on last Sunday.”
