70 more injured in forces’ firing, 40 in Anantnag | 2 wounded in Kawdara | Natipora boy critical | Protests across Kashmir, Chenab Valley
Amid curfew and restrictions, over 70 people sustained pellet and tear gas shell injuries in forces’ firing across Kashmir Saturday. A 16-year-old boy from Natipora area of Srinagar sustained serious pellet injuries in forces’ firing late in the evening, his condition was stated as critical.
At least 40 civilians including seven women were injured as government forces resorted to pellet firing and tear gas shelling to prevent a pro-freedom rally in Chee village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. A 12-year-old who was critically injured after receiving pellet injuries in eye was referred to Srinagar. Two youth sustained bullet injuries in Kawdara area of old Srinagar during clashes while four sustained pellet injuries at Pattan at north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Over 22 youth sustained pellet and tear gas shell injuries in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district during overnight clashes.
At least 56 civilians have been killed while over 4000 have got injured of which 378 people have sustained eye injuries, many of them on the verge of losing their eyesight, since July 9.
South Kashmir
A pro- freedom rally of different religious thoughts was scheduled at 11 a.m in a school ground in Chee, Anantnag, said a local. “Early in the morning when a few youth were making arrangements for the peaceful rally in the village the forces raided the venue, ransacked the dais and took away tents and set them ablaze,” he alleged. “They also took four volunteers along and mercilessly thrashed them and when some women came to rescue them they too were beaten up”.
“When some people tried to resist the government action, they (forces) resorted to lathi-charge, teargas shelling and fired pellets, leaving around 40 persons injured. The injured included seven women.”
“We received around 15 injured from Chee, all with pellet injuries,” Medical Superintendent (MS) District Hospital Anantnag, Dr Majid Mehrab told Kashmir Post. “Most of them had received pellets in chest and lower limbs.” He said one of the injured boys who had received pellet injuries in eye was shifted to SMHS.
“He is a Haafiz-I-Quran (one who has memorized whole Quran) and just came out of the house after the cries of women. The forces fired pellets indiscriminately and few hit his eyes injuring him grievously,” said the locals. They said his mother who ran towards him after she saw her son injured was also fired upon with pellets in her legs. Many other youth received pellet injuries in the forces’ action.”
“Around 10 people were treated at PHCMattan. The forces did not even spare women and 7 of them received pellets mostly in thighs,” locals alleged. Forces later blocked all roads leading towards the venue.
However, in the afternoon locals and people from adjoining villages reached the venue through various interior routes. Thousands participated in a rally. They were seen waving Pakistani flags and shouting pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan, pro-Hizb and pro-Lashkar slogans. Religious clerics and local pro-freedom activists addressed the rally. Democratic Freedom Party Leader (DFP) leader Engineer Farooq Khan and other local pro-freedom leaders also addressed the rally. Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani addressed the rally telephonically. He appealed people to set aside sectarian differences and get united for the cause.
“It is heartening to see all of you getting together at this crucial juncture and I hope you will continue to show united face in future also to resist the Indian occupation,” he said.
Forces disrupted another rally at Chandragam village of Pulwama district. Locals said police and CRPF men suddenly reached the venue in the morning and vandalized the dais. “Police and CRPF men suddenly appeared and set the Shamyana on fire. They also damaged eight motorbikes of volunteers and six tractors and load carriers used for ferrying necessary items required for the rally,” locals alleged. They said that people around were also ruthlessly beaten up. Clashes later erupted in the area.
A rally was held in the afternoon which was addressed by religious clerics and local pro-freedom leaders. Similar pro-freedom rallies was also held in Ratnipora village of Pulwama, Tachloo-Wanpora village of Kaimoh in Kulgam district, Hugam-Srigufwara village of Bijbehara.
A motor bike and car rally was also held in different villages of Kulgam. District President Hurriyat (G)-Muhamad Shaban – addressed the rally in Wanpora. Similar bike rallies were held in Shopian district which passed through Pinjoora, Pehloo, Prenz and other villages. In Kakpora, pro-freedom gatherings were held in various mosques.
Various religious organizations and thoughts – Deobandis, Barelvis, Ahlihadith and Jamat-I-Islami (Jei) – have been organizing peaceful pro-freedom rallies in different villages of south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani on July 8. All the rallies had till now passed off peacefully. Even during bike and car rallies youth had been ensuring to bypass security installations.
Curfew remained in force for the 29 running day in Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam towns. Protest demonstrations were taken out in the evening. Meanwhile, clashes broke out at Janglat Mandi area of old town Anantnag when youth attacked a police post. Witnesses said that forces lobbed tear gas shells of which many landed in the premises of district hospital Anantnag. “Pellets were also fired towards hospital,” witnesses said. They said that the a police post at the hospital compound has become a nuisance for the patients and injured as it often becomes target of protesters after which forces fire pellets, tear gas shells causing irritation among the patients. Locals demanded immediate shifting of the camp.
Reports of protest demonstrations also poured in from Dooru, Verinag, Kokernag, Achabal, Shangus, Tral, Awantipora, Pampore, Mattan, Tahab, Newa and Islamabad town areas of South Kashmir. In Shopian, youth clashed with forces at several places including Herpora,Gagran, Meemanadar and Gole Chakri in main town. Few youth sustained minor injuries in the clashes. In Pulwama, locals had called for Chandgam chalo. Witnesses said that those forces reached the spot and vandalized the makeshift tents and also damaged some vehicles. However, locals managed to reach the spot and staged a protest rally against the forces’ action.
Reports of protests also poured in from Newa, Rohomo, Arihal and other adjoining villages. Candle light procession was also taken at Rohomo and Nikas villages. Restrictions were in place in many areas in Pulwama. In Shopian, protests were reported from Imam Sahib area.
Srinagar
Reports said that two youth sustained serious injuries at Natipora Srinagar during evening when security forces fired on protesters. The condition of one of the injured was stated as critical who was identified as Akeel Ahmed Wani s/o Ghulam Muhammad Wani of Natipora chowk. Reports said that as the news of Akeel’s injury spread, various adjoining areas including Nowgam, Chanapora, Sanatnagar, Syedabad Soiteng, Lasjan, Kursu, Padhsahibagh erupted with massive protests. Meanwhile, areas falling under six police stations in old Srinagar continued to remain under strict curbs for the 29th straight day while Section 144 remained in place elsewhere in the district.
Two youth sustained bullet injuries at Kawdara area of old Srinagar, reports said. The duo was shifted to SMHS hospital. Evening protests were held in many areas that include Chattabal, Bemina, Cement Kadal, Qamarwari, Barthana, Chotta Bazar, Kani Kadal, Habba Kadal, Zaindar Mohalla, Rainawari, Saraf Kadal, and other areas. Reports said that clashes were going on at Batamaloo after a protest march in the evening. Clashes were reported from Hyderpora area of uptown. Curbs remained in place at Maisuma area of civil lines for the 29th consecutive day.
Inhabitants of Nundresh Colony Bemina offered congregational Asr prayers on road on Saturday. Special arrangements were made for women also. Soon after the afternoon prayers ended, they staged sit-in while chanting pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans. Residents of Jawahar Nagar offered Zuhr prayers on a road outside Abu Bakar Masjid to protest the killings. “We offered prayers here as a mark of protest against the civilian killings and ruthless use of force that has injured thousands over the past one month,” said a resident. Prayers were also offered on road at Nawa Bazar, Padshahibagh, Rambagh, Solina, Dalgate, Bemina, Batamaloo, Habba Kadal, Saida Kadal, Rainawari, Sanat Nagar, Rawalpora, Wanbal, Lasjan, Pantha Chowk, Athwajan, Batwara, Kathidarwaza and other areas. Asr prayers were also offered on road at Chinar Colony Baghat. Soon after the prayers, people took out peaceful protest against recent civilian killings. On the occasion, General Secretary Muslim League addressed the public and urged them to follow the programme of pro-freedom leadership in letter and spirit.
Central Kashmir
Reports said that in the overnight clashes at least 22 people sustained pellet and tear gas shell injuries in various villages of Wadawan, Arath, Chupora and Gutepora villages of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. The people were protesting against the killing of two youth, one at Chadoora and another at Khansahib areas of Budgam district. Reports said that the total number of injured in the district crossed 112. Reports said that thousands of people of many villages including Gamgula, Hariwani, Takia-Farooq, Shanipora, Kanura, Dabipora, Yarikhan and Jawalpora of Khansahib assembled at Mula Naroo, the native village of slain Sameer Wani to participate in the funeral. The participants were raising pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans.
Locals alleged that forces near Dharmuna thrashed the injured people, triggering anger among the residents. A youth from Arath sustained serious injuries in forces’ action. Complete shutdown was observed in the district while authorities had placed curbs at some places.
Reports said that eight women and a 14-year-old girl sustained injuries when forces dispersed their protest at Kangan. The women were protesting against the detention of youth. Late evening protests were reported from Sonmarg area of Ganderbal district.
North Kashmir
Situation in several parts of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district remained tense. In Mungam-Wagoora, the native place of Danish Rasool who was killed Friday evening at Sopore in police firing, situation remained extremely tense. Thousands of people from Wagoora and its adjoining areas thronged Mungam since morning on Saturday. The mourners which included hundreds of women, amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, marched throughout the area and expressed their solidarity with the bereaved family. Latter the body of Danish Rasool was taken in a huge procession to his ancestral graveyard where he was laid to rest. Angry youths latter attacked an abandoned police post and set it on fire. The police post was partially gutted in the incident.
In Azad Gunj, old town Baramulla, a huge tent was erected by local youths this morning. Thousands of people staged sit-in and protested against the killing spree. The protesters demanded immediate resolution of Kashmir issue and showed their sympathy with the families who had lost their loved once during the ongoing unrest. Meanwhile, women from Kanlibagh and Sangri colony took out a huge protest on Friday evening. The protesting women amid pro-freedom slogans marched up to the highway and later dispersed peacefully.
Strict curfew has been imposed in Pattan town after protests erupted Saturday morning, police used pellets on protesters in which four persons including a girl was injured. Injured persons were shifted to Sub District Hospital Pattan for treatment. All the roads leading to highway including hospital road were blocked by concertina wires Saturday morning by forces. Peaceful protests were held in Yadipora village of Pattan town.
In Sopore, massive protests followed by clashes were reported from various areas despite stringent curbs put in place by the authorities. Residents of various areas that include Muslim Peer, Batpora, Chanakhan, Arampora, Tujjar Sharief, Krankshivan, and Model Town offered Zuhr and Asr prayers on roads and later staged protests. Complete shutdown was observed in Tangmarg.
Protest In Karhah
Reports said that for the second consecutive day youth resorted to massive pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans. The protesters of Tangdhar, Kandi, Dildar, Batpora, Loontha, Shathapala, and Khodpara areas assembled at Karnah and staged a solidarity demonstration with the people of Kashmir valley. Later, mild stone pelting was also reported in which some trucks were damaged while Degree College Tandghar was also stoned, witnesses said.
Chenab Valley
Residents of Sangaldan, Gool, Thatharka, Seripora and adjacent areas Saturday evening took out a peaceful protest march against the civilian killings in Kashmir. These areas also observed complete shutdown. The protestors condemned the civilian killings and urged authorities to stop “blood bath” in valley and punish those responsible for using excessive use of force.
