Life in this south Kashmir town remained paralyzed for the ninth consecutive day on Friday as youth remained adamant to set up a memorial for militants, who have died in gunfight with forces. However, Police are not allowing youth to erect the memorial in the town.
Amid a complete strike youth took to the streets this afternoon and tried staging demonstrations but force personnel who were deployed in strength in the area used force to quell the angry demonstrators, who retaliated with stones triggering massive clashes in which scores of protesters sustained injuries, witnesses said.Locals claimed that police arrested more than 14 youth from the town.
Witnesses said, “The forces were disallowing movement of people in groups in the town. Though the Friday prayers were offered in all Masjids of the town, however the people from the Prichoo area assembled on the road after the prayers and staged a protest. They also tried to marching towards Muran chowk.”
“As soon as they reached near the Prichoo Bridge near Muran chowk, forces deployed there stopped them. The youth pelted stones on them and force personnel retaliated with teargas and pepper gas shells,” they said.
Sources said that among the injured many youth sustained pellet injuries at Prichoo but they kept their identity secret and did not go to the hospital for treatment, fearing reprisal from the forces.
The locals alleged that forces barged into many residential houses at Prichoo and beat up the inmates there, a charge which was denied by Police.
Clashes spilled over to Dangerpora where youth pelted stones on the force personnel who retaliated forcefully. “The clashes soon turned into pitched battles,”witnesses added.
The clashes continued till late evening in many areas of the town.
Meanwhile, Kakapora, Newa, Balow, Boonura and many other adjoining areas also observed a shutdown on Friday to express solidarity with the youth who want to set up the memorial in the town.
While talking to us, SSP Pulwama Tejinder Singh said, “Actually youth pelted stones on force personnel who were deployed to maintain law and order in the town. We have arrested twelve youth who were pelting stones on forces but we exercised maximum restraint.”
He denied force personnel uses pellets to disperse the protesters.
Asked about the row over memorial he said, “I hope matter will be resolved by tomorrow.”
SHORTAGE OF ESSENTIALS
The 9-day shutdown has led to shortage of essential commodities in Pulwama town.
“We are facing shortage of rice, sugar, vegetables, money, and other important commodities due to continuous strike in Pulwama town,” a group of people said.
