Curfew in parts of Srinagar, Woman dies of cardiac arrest during forces raid in Anantnag

  • Death toll reaches 91, 200 fresh injuries
  • Govt imposes curfew, restriction to foil Lal Chowk Chalo
  • Friday prayers disallowed in Jamia, other mosques for 12th week
  • Forces disallowed Friday prayers in Nadihal; fire pellets, tear gas shells on people
  • People at some places offer funeral prayers in absentia for 2 Pak soldiers
  • Situation under control, 49 arrested in 24 hours: Police
  • Sopore youth critical
  • Shutdown observer in Banihal

curfew-in-parts-of-srinagar-woman-dies-of-cardiac-arrest-during-forces-raid-in-anantnagAn elderly lady died of cardiac arrest allegedly after government forces pelted stones and smashed the entry gate of her house in Chee village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district late last night, reports and witnesses said on Friday, even as more than 100 people sustained injuries in forces’ action on protesters after Friday congregational prayers across Kashmir. Police, however, claimed that the lady was a known heart patient and died of heart attack and not during raids by forces.
With the fresh death of the lady, aged 66, the death toll in the ongoing uprising has climbed up to 91 in a span of 84 days while the figures of injured have crossed 13,500. With police claiming to have made 49 fresh arrests in the past 24 hours, the figures of those arrested and detained has reached 6500 so far.

South Kashmir
The deceased lady was identified as Sara Begum (66) wife of Ghulam Hassan Teli, a resident of Chee. Teli said he was out of his residence when the incident took place. “Besides my wife, our younger daughter and one of two married daughters were at home. No male member was present there,” said Teli, a farmer by profession.
The daughters of the deceased said: “At around 11.30 pm, we heard stones being pelted all around on residential houses in our locality. My mother started trembling due to fear and panic. My younger sister Arshie accompanied her mother to the kitchen to provide her a glass of water.”
Arshie said as she started giving water to her mother, their main entrance gate was smashed by rocks and boulders “and within no time, my mother collapsed.”“We shouted after which neighbours rushed to our house and took my mother to district hospital Anantnag where doctors declared her as bought dead.” “Sara died of heart attack,” doctors at the District Hospital confirmed.
Locals said soon after Sara’s death, announcements were made through public address systems of mosques urging people to come out and “after the news spread, the forces fled from the area.” Earlier, locals said forces had parked vehicles outside Chee locality and later barged into it. “The windowpanes of many houses were broken in the forces’ action,” the residents said.
The villagers also showed dents caused to entry gate of Sara’s house due to forces’ smashing. Sara Begum was laid to rest early in the morning amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Massive protests erupted in Chee village against her death. “People also set ablaze an effigy of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the area,” witnesses said. The police, in an official statement however, claimed: “District police administration Anantnag has clarified that Sara Begum wife of Ghulam Hassan Teli resident of Chee was a known heart patient and died of heart attack last night. Some people are trying to mislead by alleging that she died because of banging of door of her house by security forces. It is far from truth. The allegation is totally baseless and is therefore rebutted.”
Meanwhile, at least two dozen people sustained injuries in clashes that erupted between youth and forces in Tral town. Witnesses said massive pro-freedom demonstrations were held in the area after Friday prayers. “Forces intercepted the protesters resulting in clashes. The forces also resorted to baton-charge, lobbed shells and fired pellets, causing injuries to at least 24 persons,” they said.
The injured were treated locally, but forces later ran amok and broke windowpanes of residential houses and also damaged many parked vehicles, the local residents alleged. “The forces also beat up people working in paddy fields and orchards,” they said.
Clashes also erupted in Newa and Tahab villages of Pulwama. In Nagbal village of Shopian, forces allegedly damaged an electricity transformer with bullets after clashes in the area. “Forces also resorted to aerial firing,” reports said.
Earlier, Tehreek-I-Hurriyat (TeH) district president Muhammad Yousuf Falhai led a protest rally in the area.
Protest demonstrations were also held in Muhamadpora, Bolsu, Bogund, Bugam and Buchroo villages of Kulgam district. Clashes also erupted in Kulgam town and Khudwani area of Qaimoh. Protests erupted in Seer village of Anantnag against arrest of four youth during midnight raids. “The protesters were demanding release of the youth,” reports said.
Massive protests demonstrations were held after Friday prayers in Hussanpora, Hassanpora in Arwani area of Bijbehara Anantnag. “People marched through the villages shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans,” witnesses said. The protest was led by TeH district President Mir Hafizullah.
In Bijbehara town, people took out a procession after Friday prayers from Jamia Masjid- Baba Mohalla. Restrictions were put in place in all major and small towns—Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Pampore, Awantipora, Tral to thwart post-Friday protests.

Teacher Booked Under PSA
An elderly private school teacher, Adul Qayoom Dar from Parguchi village of Shopian has been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) and shifted to Kathua jail in Jammu. He has been charged with participating and organizing protests in his area. Dar, aged 51, is working in Sun Shine Public School, functioning under Falah-I-Aam Trust, in Pinjoora village.
“On the intervening night of September 24, the forces raided our house, ransacked it and later detained my father,” Dar’s son, Sagar told Kashmir Post over phone from Bengaluru where he is pursuing a course in Engineering. He said only his mother and two sisters are at home. “Police has booked my father under PSA under frivolous charges,” he said, adding: ‘I am left with no choice but to return home now.”

Kulgam Imam Goes Missing
The mysterious disappearance of an Imam sparked protests in Kulgam district on Friday. The Imam who was identified as Shakoor Ahmed Dar son of Muhammad Munawar of Soput Tangapora village of Kulgam district is “missing” since September 23, locals said.
“Shakoor left his house on 23rd September to look after his apple orchard. Since then his whereabouts are not known and all our attempts to trace him have failed,” his family members said.
The locals have now lodged a missing report in a local Police Station.

North Kashmir
At least 52 people were injured after police and paramilitary forces foiled a joint Friday congregation at Nadhihal area in Rafiabad Baramulla by resorting to firing of pellets and teargas shells. The injured were immediately rushed to Baramulla district hospital where from three youth were shifted to Srinagar.
“We received around 40 injured youths from the area. Out of them, two youth had suffered injuries in eyes due to pellets and were shifted to Srinagar hospitals. Another youth had suffered injury due to teargas shell and he too was referred to Srinagar,” said Dr. Masood, Medical Superintendent of Baramulla District Hospital.
According to reports, as people from Nadihal and its adjacent villages started to assemble at a local ground for joint Friday congregation, a contingent of police and CRPF personnel raided the area at around 12.30 pm and instantly started lobbing teargas shells towards the venue.
“The firing was unprovoked. The forces’ action triggered panic in the area and people started to run in different directions. Forces also fired pellets at youths,” witnesses said.
The locals said apart from inflicting injuries to youths, police and CRPF personnel later ransacked scores of residential houses and damaged many vehicles in the area.
Witnesses said clashes later spread to Ladoora village where forces allegedly damaged six residential houses and fired at three electricity transformers. They said police fired at transformers and damaged these deliberately.
In Baramulla town, several youth were injured during clashes that erupted after police lobbed teargas shells at a pro-freedom protest march in old town. According to reports, a joint Friday congregation was held in Qadeem Eidgah this afternoon. Soon after prayers ended, a big pro-freedom protest march was taken out. As protesting youth reached near Kakar Hamam Baramulla, police from across the river lobbed teargas shells at the protestors. Later, a contingent of police entered the area via Banglabagh, triggering fierce clashes between youths and police. The clashes later spread to Eidgah area and continued till late evening. Six youths reportedly suffered injuries in these clashes and were treated at Primary Health Center at Old Town. Later, a pro-freedom protest march was taken out from Jamia Masjid. As the protesters started to advancing towards main highway, police and paramilitary forces prevented them for moving ahead, triggering clashes which continued for some time. Police arrested some youths also. Meanwhile, in Pattan, a pro-freedom protest march was taken out after Friday prayers from Jamia Masjid. The marchers were not allowed to stage a protest on main highway, triggering clashes. The situation later returned to normal.
Reports from Sopore said at least 15 youth sustained injuries due to pellet firing and teargas shelling after a joint rally was taken from Jamia Masjid and New Colony. As the protestors reached Chanakhan, forces fired pellets and teargas shells resulting in injuries to many. Reports said a youth who sustained serious pellet injuries was shifted to a Srinagar hospital. His identity could not be ascertained immediately.
Witnesses said Police foiled pro-freedom rally in Gulshan Chowk area of Bandipora after Friday congregational prayers. They said soon after Friday prayers, people from Plan, Nibripora, Nusoo and Nowpora areas were trying to gather in Gulshan Chowk, but police foiled their attempt by resorting to teargas shelling and pellet firing, triggering clashes. They said youths hurled stones and rocks at police in Nowpora Chowk and Plan areas but the forces responded by firing several teargas shells and pellets.
“Two youths were picked up by police in Nowpora and Nibripora,” witnesses said.
Meanwhile, residents of Ajas, Bazipora and Chimpenzpora villages offered Friday congregational prayers in Eidgah Ajas and later held a peaceful rally. Witnesses said a pro-freedom rally was held in Aloosa in which people from Aloosa Ghat, Gurdal, Ashtengoo and Binlipora also participated. Locals had called for “Aloosa Chalo.” The rally was addressed by several resistance leaders. Residents of Khomina of Hajin town alleged that forces damaged several residential houses in the village after they passed through the village soon after Friday congregational prayers. Locals said police and CRPF personnel damaged windowpanes of several residential areas without any provocation. They said clashes also erupted in Hajin town after Friday congregational prayers. Witnesses said three youth were picked up by police near CHC Hajin.
Reports from Kupwara district said protests were held after Friday prayers in various areas that include Lalpora, Khirhama, Takipora, Trehgam, Shumnag, Hari, Aloosa, Kralpora, Panzgam, Dardasn, and Tikar. Three youth sustained injured, and were admitted in district hospital Kupwara.

Srinagar
Police had imposed strict curfew in old Srinagar areas to prevent any pro-freedom rally while all major roads in Lal Chowk were sealed with barbed wire amid heavy deployment of police and CRPF men. Reports said a massive pro-freedom rally started at Nowhatta area in old Srinagar and as the protestors started marching towards Khanyar, forces disrupted the rally and fired teargas shells indiscriminately, resulting in injuries to at least 15 youth. Reports of clashes also poured in from Palpora area of Eidgah in old city where three youth sustained pellet injuries who were admitted in SMHS hospital. Evening clashes were held at Khanyar, Hawal, Gojwara, Saraf Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Nawabazaar, Habba Kadal, Kaka Sarai, Chattabal, Bemina, and Qamarwari. Reports said that a torch procession was held at Nowgam, Soiteng, Lasjan, Hyderpora Peerbagh, Azad Basti Natipora, Chanapora, and Barzulla.
The government continued to disallow Friday congregational prayers at historic Jamia Masjid in old Srinagar for the 12th consecutive Friday. There was heavy deployment of forces outside Jamia Masjid, witnesses said. They said all the routes leading to the grand masjid were sealed with barbed wire.

Central Kashmir
Four people including a woman sustained pellet injuries when forces allegedly barged into residential houses at Ompura Budgam, witnesses said. The incident triggered massive clashes in the area. Reports said clashes broke out at Mazhama where four people sustained injuries while a youth received a rubber bullet injury. Mild clashes broke out after Friday prayers at Beerwah near Higher Secondary School, report said.
In Beerwah, people offered congregational funeral in absentia for all those killed in the past 84 days. In Ganderbal district, heavy deployment of forces was made in major towns to thwart any protests. Reports said soon after Friday prayers, people tried to take out a protest rally at Beehama Chowk, but police deployed didn’t allow them. Reports said no Friday prayers were allowed in Jamia Masjid Beehama for 12th consecutive Friday.

Shutdown In Banihal
After consecutive four days of restrictions and curfew in Kishtwar, heavy deployment of forces was made outside all major masjids to prevent protests.
Sources said the district administration Kishtwar has registered five FIRs against 40 persons and also issued notices to government employees who were found present in photographs and videos during series of protests held in the Town Area. Meanwhile, during Friday congregational prayers, all imams condemned the arrests of five persons and warned the administration not to harass people from Muslim community by involving them in fake FIRs. Meanwhile, reports said, complete shutdown was observed in Banihal town in solidarity with Kashmiris. Reports said Imams of various masjids condemned registration of FIRs against people in Kishtwar and continuous killings in Kashmir.

Police Statement
According to a statement issued by Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, situation across the Valley remained under control today, “although stray incidents of stone pelting were reported.”
“As a precautionary measure curfew was imposed in few police stations of Srinagar today while all other areas of the valley remained curfew-free,” the statement said. According to the statement, stray stone pelting incidents were reported from Sopore, Bandipora and Srinagar after Friday prayers.
“Miscreants in their attempt to disturb the situation assembled on roads and pelted stones on police and security force deployments. They were chased away using some force. Barring these incidents situation remained under control,” the statement said, adding: “Police in its continuous and sustained drive against miscreants arrested 49 such individuals involved in different offences of disturbing the situation in different parts of the Kashmir.”

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