Government forces-including CRPF, SOG personnel and men from Cargo Srinagar Thursday wrecked havoc in Prichoo area of Pulwama forcing people to flee their homes and take shelter in paddy fields and neighbouring villages.
The ‘highhandedness’ comes a day after an 18 year old boy was killed and over a 100 were injured, many of them critically, as government forces fired pellets and bullets on unarmed civilians.
Reports from the area told Kashmir Post that the government forces have been busy barging into houses in Prichoo village and vandalizing property and thrashing anybody who comes their way.
“The terrified villagers have fled their homes and taken shelter elsewhere. The village tells a tale of absolute destruction,” a local said.
The locals told Kashmir Post that a police officer from Cargo Srinagar has been brought into Pulwama in place of ASP Azhar Baba, who was injured Wednesday in a mysterious blast, which police said was a grenade attack from militants.
“The new officer is accompanied with 4 mobile bunkers and personnel from the Cargo and overseeing the terror that government forces are collectively unleashing in the area,” sources said.
They alleged hundreds of residential houses have been ransacked and looted in the area since early morning.
Meanwhile a youth was injured on Thursday after he was hit by a tear-gas shell fired by government forces on Thursday in north Kashmir’s Bandipora area.
Eyewitnesses said that clashes broke out in Qazipora Bandipora when youth were holding a protest rally and forces fired tear-gas canisters to disperse them.
The injured youth has been identified as Asif Ahmed Sheikh of Qazipora. Sheikh has been shifted to Sub District Hospital Bandipora for treatment.
Earlier, clashes erupted in Kaloosa area of the district when youth tried to hold a protest rally against the civilian killings in Kashmir.
However, a huge posse of police and paramilitary forces intercepted them and fired several tear smoke shells. The clashes were going on in the area when the last reports came in.
