- Death toll rises to 70
- Over 150 injured across Kashmir
- Ambulance, driver attacked by forces
- SMHS receives 32 injured patients
- Curfew, shutdown cripples life for 47th day
- 65-year-old man among 3 beaten by CRPF at Safa Kadal
- Kishtwar shuts against civilian killings
- Rajnath invokes Kashmiriyat as clashes continue in Valley
- 8 incidents of stone pelting reported from Valley: Police
A teenager was killed in forces’ firing at Prichoo village in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district while 40 others were injured after forces fired pellets and teargas shells to foil a pro-freedom rally there on Wednesday. Another youth, who was also injured in forces’ action in a separate incident at Pulwama, is stated to be critical, witnesses said.
More than 150 people including a woman and an elderly person were also injured in day-long clashes and “beating” by forces in Kashmir areas. The fresh killing took place on a day when Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived on a two-day visit to Kashmir to assess the prevailing situation. The slain youth was identified as Amir Gul Mir, 18, son of Ghulam Muhamamd of Ratnipora, Pulwama.
At least 68 people have been killed in protests triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Over 7000 people have been injured while over 500 have sustained serious pellet injuries and many of them are on the verge of losing their eyesight.
South Kashmir
Amir was killed while over 40 injured after forces used pellet guns to foil a peaceful pro-freedom rally in Prichoo village in Pulwama district. Another youth was also critically injured after forces resorted to ‘indiscriminate’ firing on protesters in main town of Pulwama in the evening following a mysterious blast during clashes which police claimed was a grenade attack. At least 40 other people were injured most of them with pellets in day-long clashes in various areas of the district.
Witnesses said a peaceful pro-freedom rally was proposed at Prichoo village, in continuation with several such rallies being held almost daily in South Kashmir areas since July 8. “People as usual had made all arrangements for the rally, including erecting tents and installing generators and public address system. However, police, CRPF and Army raided the village in the wee hours (at around 3 am) and vandalized the venue and also set ablaze the tents,” they said.
They said the forces’ action triggered massive protests in the area. Forces, however, imposed strict curfew to thwart mass movement of people towards the venue, but people resisted.
People from Pinglena, Ratnipora and other villages hit the roads after announcements were made on loudspeakers, and started marching towards Prichoo, witnesses said. They said as forces stopped them, clashes followed.
“Forces fired pellets and lobbed tear-gas shells, resulting in injuries to dozens of people, local residents told Kashmir Post.
The injured were rushed to local Primary Health Centers where-from three of them were shifted to a Srinagar hospital. However, one of the critically-injured youth Amir of Ratnipora village succumbed minutes after he reached the SMHS hospital in Srinagar, doctors said. The youth had sustained multiple pellet injuries in his abdomen, they said.
Dozens others sustained injuries, most of them with pellets, in Prichoo and other adjoining villages in the ensuing clashes.
Amir was brought to SMHS hospital at around 11.30 am, according to doctors. This correspondent was present at the hospital when volunteers took him to the Emergency OT. “He had multiple pellet injuries in his abdomen and died within no time,” hospital sources said. Those accompanying him screamed while hundreds of people gathered there. His funeral was offered outside the SMHS hospital.
Amir Was Without Spleen
Amir, according to locals, had survived a critical injury when forces had opened fire in Lelhar village of Kakpora Pulwama on February 14 this year, after an encounter broke out there between militants and forces. Doctors at SMHS hospital had said that Amir will have to live his life without spleen as it was ruptured by a tear-gas shell. Two youths—a Post graduate Urdu student Shaista and an engineering student of Islamic University at Awantipora Danish—were killed by forces during that gunfight. Amir’s father is a laborer by profession and is survived by elder brother and three sisters.
Meanwhile, thousands participated in funeral prayers of Amir amid pro-freedom and anti-India sloganeering.
Violent protests broke out in entire Pulwama district, including main town, after Aamir was laid to rest. Witnesses said people in Pulwama town marched towards a stadium in the evening to organize a pro-freedom rally there. However, forces tried to foil their attempt, resulting in fierce clashes. Youth pelted stones on forces near Degree College and the cops in turn lobbed teargas shells and fired pellets, witnesses said. They said as clashes were on, they heard a loud bang following which forces fired indiscriminately towards the protesters.
There was complete chaos all around as people ran for shelter, witnesses said, adding: “Several people sustained injuries in the forces’ firing. One of the injured, later identified as Muhammad Ashraf of Ruhmoo village—hit by a bullet in chest—was shifted to SMHS hospital in a critical condition,” they said. He was operated upon at the hospital where his condition is said to be critical.
The police later passed off the explosion as a grenade blast which they said was hurled by militants among the protesters. Locals, however, said some explosive material which forces were carrying “might have exploded.”
“Nobody hurled a grenade from or into the protesters,” they said.
Following the explosion, forces, according to locals, went on rampage and beat up whosoever came in their way. They also barged into several houses and ransacked goods and beat up inmates.
“As the forces shifted the injured cops and CRPF men to District Hospital Pulwama, they mercilessly thrashed a hospital employee Khurshid Ahmad,” doctors said.
They said Khurshid received head injury due to severe thrashing and is being treated. Clashes were on in the entire district when this report was filed.
“Most of the injured in Pulwama had pellet injuries and many of them were referred to Srinagar,” a doctor said.
Dozens Injured In Tral
Two dozen people sustained injuries in clashes in Tral town of Pulwama district. The injured were being treated at SDH Tral.
Meanwhile, clashes also erupted in old town areas of Anantnag (Islamabad) district including Kadipora, Mattan Adda, Dangerpora, Cheeni Chowk and Malakhang. However, there were no reports of any injuries. Clashes were also reported from Kulgam town, Kaimoh and adjoining Khudwani area.
Curfew remained in place in Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Pampore towns for the 47th straight day.
A pro-freedom rally was organized in Verinag area of Anantnag district. The rally passed off peacefully. Tehreek-I-Huriyat District President Mir Hafizullah addressed it. Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani also addressed the people telephonically.
SRINAGAR
Three motorcycle-borne persons including an elderly man were beaten to pulp by CRPF men at Waniyar Safakadal when they were on way from SKIMS Soura to Sopore. Witnesses said when they reached Waniyar, they were stopped and “beaten ruthlessly” by the CRPF men.
“One of the persons sustained serious head injuries while two others were also bleeding profusely and crying in pain. The locals later shifted the trio to a hospital,” said witnesses. They were identified as Abdur Rashid, Muhammad Sultan Gani, 65, and Muhammad Shafi. The condition of one of the injured was stated as critical and was shifted to SKIMS, Soura. Reports said the incident triggered massive protests in the area, with people including women taking to streets. The police and CRPF men who were deployed in strength in the area, resorted to indiscriminate use of pellets and tear-gas shells in which 20 people including a woman sustained injuries. A youth was also hit by pellets in his eye and shifted to nearby SMHS hospital.
The clashes later spread to other areas of old Srinagar that include Nopora-Sekidafar, Zari Masjid and Nawa Kadal where youth hurled stones at the forces. Earlier in the day, district authorities said they had lifted curbs and restrictions from majority of old Srinagar areas. However, strict curfew was enforced after 6 pm amid heavy deployment of forces across Old Srinagar.
In uptown, including city centre Lal Chowk, while there was some movement of traffic during the day, strict curfew was imposed soon after the clock ticked 6 pm. All the main roads were sealed with barbed wire amid heavy deployment of BSF and police personnel. Reports of clashes came in from various old city areas including Rajouri Kadal, Qamarwari, Noorbagh, Bemina, and Chattabal. Evening protests were reported from Nowgam, Chanapora, and Hydepora areas.
Central Kashmir
Reports said clashes broke out at Kawoosa Check-Khalisa in Budgam district in which four people sustained pellet injuries. They were referred to Srinagar hospitals for specialized treatment.
Locals alleged forces ransacked residential houses, triggering protests in the area. Intense stone-pelting took place against the forces’ ‘atrocities’. At least 40 people sustained injuries in the forces’ action. Clashes were also reported from Ompora where locals staged a peaceful protest but forces intercepted it by resorting to firing of tear-gas shells. Residents of Nagam alleged forces’ atrocities during nocturnal raids.
Meanwhile, residents of Beehama blocked Srinagar-Ganderbal road against detention of local youth. The police, however, chased them by firing tear-gas shells.
At Baroosa village, people staged protests against civilian killings.
North Kashmir
While a complete shutdown was observed in Baramulla district, protests and clashes were reported from many areas of Sopore that include Tujjar Sharif, Muslim Peer, Chanakhan and Main Chowk areas. Reports said forces enforced strict curfew after 6 pm to prevent shopkeepers from opening their shops in Sopore.
Reports from Kupwara said that protests rocked Lalpora Lolab and also Tikipora where a youth sustained pellet injury. Two persons were also injured in Lalpora. The injured were shifted to SDH Sogam.
Kishtwar Shut
Kishtwar area of Chenab Valley observed a complete shutdown against civilian killings in Kashmir.
The call for shutdown was given by Imam of Jamia Masjid Kishtwar Farooq Ahmed Kichloo after the decision was taken by the Majlis-e-Shoora comprising various Imams of Masjids and heads of religious bodies.
The shutdown was observed to express solidarity with people of Kashmir and against the district administration Kishtwar for registering cases against two Imams, Molvi Abdul Qayoom and Qari Manzoor Ahmed, and several youths for allegedly raising “anti-India slogans”. All business establishments in the district remained closed while thin attendance was witnessed in government offices.
Rajnath invokes Kashmiriyat as clashes continue in Valley
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to take stock of the current Kashmir unrest was marked by the death of a civilian in a clash and a grenade attack by militants in Pulwama district of south Kashmir today. At least 100 people were injured in other clashes between protesters and the police in different areas of the Valley.
The Home Minister arrived here today on a two-day visit to take stock of the situation, during which he met the leaders of various political parties, civil society and top civil and security officers, on the 47th day of the unrest today. During his first visit on July 23 and 24, Rajnath had met leaders of various parties, top civil and security officers.
Rajnath, accompanied by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, drove straight from the airport to the Nehru Guest House at Cheshma Shahi, overlooking the Dal Lake around noon. As he drove to the destination, the roads were deserted amid curfew, restrictions and shutdown to maintain law and order and protest recent civilian killings. Earlier, he invoked Vajpayee’s mantra and tweeted: “I will be staying at the Nehru Guest House. Those who believe in Kashmiriyat, insaniyat and jamhooriyat are welcome.”
But by the time he reached the Nehru Guest House, a civilian was killed and several others injured in the clashes that took place near Pinglina in Pulwama district. The incident took place when the police tried to prevent a “protest rally” at Vehil village, leading to clashes with the security forces. A youth, Aamir Gul Mir, of Ratnipora was seriously injured and nearly a dozen others were injured in the incident. Aamir succumbed to his injuries at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital here. With his death, the toll in the ongoing turmoil, which erupted after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8, has gone up to 68, including 66 civilians and two J&K policemen.
Police Version
According to a statement issued by Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, eight incidents of stone pelting were reported from Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora on Wednesday.
“At Pinglina, Pulwama miscreants assembled on road and started heavy stone pelting on the police and SF deployment. In order to clear the road and chase the miscreants, Police/Security forces were compelled to use some force, which caused injuries to few miscreants. One of them identified as Amir Gul Mir son of Ghulam Muhammad of Ratnipora succumbed to his injuries.”
“In this incident a number of police and security forces personnel were also injured,” the statement said.
“Except for these incidents, overall situation across the Kashmir remained under control. Apart from some police stations of Srinagar and town Anantnag there was increased movement of traffic on roads in rest of the Kashmir,” the statement claimed.
