- Clashes erupt in Srinagar parts
- Pellets, tear shells fired on protesters in Kremshore, Budgam
- Er Rasheed alleges manhandling as police foil his anti-army protest
Curfew was relaxed in parts of Srinagar and other districts in Kashmir, while shutdown continued for 52nd straight day on Monday.
The 51 day long curfew was lifted from Anantnag town of south Kashmir while it remained in force in some parts of Srinagar under the jurisdictions of police station Maharajganj and Nowhatta in Srinagar.
Expressing regret and remorse over the loss of lives in the Kashmir Valley, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that any life lost in the state, whether of any youth or any security personnel, is India’s loss, adding that those instigating young, innocent children will have to answer to them someday.
The death toll in Kashmir has reached 72 while more than 7000 have been injured by the forces action mostly having pellet injuries following the death of Commander Burhan Wani on July 08 in Kokernag.
Clashes between government forces and protesters erupted in many Srinagar parts on Monday even authorities lifted curfew in the valley after 51 days. Reports of clashes have also come from north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Protesters came on roads in Batamaloo, Kanekadel and Nowpora areas of Srinagar and started raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Local sources said that men in uniform swung into action and tried to chase away the protesters who pelted stones on them. A few tear smoke shells were also fired on them in Batamaloo area.
Meanwhile, clashes also erupted in Kaloosa area of Bandipora after army allegedly beat civilians.
Pellets, tear shells fired on protesters in Kremshore, Budgam
Several people were injured on Monday as government forces fired pellets and tear smoke shells on protesters at Kremshore area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Local sources said that a freedom rally was organised at Kremshore area today however police and other forces used pellets and tear smoke shells to disperse people resulting in injuries to many persons.
They alleged that government forces fired live ammunition on unarmed protesters however police sources refuted the allegation and said “few shots were fired in air to disperse the protesters who pelted stones on forces”.
Local sources said that people are being appealed through mosque loudspeakers to come out of their houses and held protests.
Some of the injured have been identified as Showkat Ahmad, Shabir Ahmad, Omar and Waseem, all residents of Parniwa.
Independent legislator and AIP supremo Er Rasheed was “dragged and abused” as police detained him on Monday to foil his attempts to hold a sit-in outside the army headquarters at Badami Bagh in Srinagar. Rasheed was also planning to file a complaint at Ram Munshi Bagh police station to ask police to investigate the allegations against army of forcing people into unpaid labour.
A spokesman said that police arrested about 50 persons along with Er Rasheed to foil AIP’s scheduled sit-in outside army headquarters Badami Bagh against “forced labour which army has been subjecting the people to from 1989 onwards.”
“Er Rasheed was detained on way to Badami Bagh and lodged in police station Raj Bagh. Heavy contingent of police stopped Er Rasheed, dragged him out of his vehicle and manhandled him,” he said.
He said that policemen hurled abuses at him and took him to police station Raj Bagh.
“In response to Mehbooba Mufti’s confession that army and task force has subjected Kashmiris to unpaid forced labour for a couple of decades, AIP President and MLA Langate Er Rasheed will hold a peaceful sit-in outside army headquarters at Badami Bagh on Monday 29th August 2016 at 11.30 am followed by filing an FIR in Ram-Munshi Bagh Police station along with the evidences, asking police to investigate the allegations against army and punish the culprits,” the spokesman had said last night.
“Since Mehbooba Mufti has yet again confessed in New Delhi while talking to media today after meeting PM that army and police had been committing atrocities on innocent civilians and the same confirms our allegations regarding the crimes committed against humanity by security agencies, so government must act now without further delay,” he added.
“Not only Mehbooba Mufti but state CID department in its report to State Human Rights Commission has confirmed that army had been using people of around 50 villages in district Kupwara as human shields and to forced labour from 1989 to 2003 but no action was taken on ground against the accused officers.”
He said that it was our “moral and constitutional duty” to ensure that people get justice as SHRC hasn’t done anything during past six years over the issue in response to their petition, except for putting up the case for next hearing.
