- ‘Forces damage apple harvest in Karimabad’
- Curfew-like restrictions imposed to foil “Lal Chowk chalo”
- Woman among 4 injured in clashes after Div Com’s vehicle attacked in Bandipora
- 73 arrested in 24 hours
Complete shutdown across Kashmir continued on 83rd consecutive day on Thursday while four people including a woman sustained injuries in clashes in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Reports said that forces allegedly damaged apple harvest in Karimabad village of Pulwama district. The orchardists alleged that army men who were patrolling the area suddenly went on rampage and damaged the apple boxes.
“Army without any provocation made their way into orchards and threw away the apple boxes on road side,” alleged the orchardists. They said that the army later ran their vehicles on the apples ensuring they are damaged. “They also took way many boxes.”
One of the orchardists – Muhamad Abdullah Pandit said: “The army damaged more than 300 apple boxes of ours.”
SP Pulwama, Rayees Ahmad Bhat, denied the allegations. “Nothing of that sort has come into our notice,” SP said.
The forces had a few days back damaged paddy harvest in Kanelwan village of Bijbehara in South Kashmir as well as in some villages of Budgam district. People in these areas had alleged that the forces set ablaze the harvested rice stalks.
Earlier, a group of nomads had alleged that army men rammed their vehicles on their livestock in Frisal village of Kulgam district killing 13 horses and injuring three others.
Reports from north Kashmir’s Bandipora district said that at least four persons were injured including a woman in Saderkoot area when clashes broke out between youth and government forces. Witnesses said that youth near main chowk Saderkoot attacked Divisional Commissioner Kashmir’s vehicle with stones when he was on way to Srinagar from Bandipora after convening a meeting.
They said that Police and CRPF accompanying the Divisional Commissioner resorted to teargas and pellet firing when the cavalcade of divisional commissioner came under attack, triggering clashes. “At least four persons including a woman who was identified as Mehbooba (35) were injured during the clashes. They received injuries after being hit by pellets,” locals told Kashmir Post. They said that Mehbooba who had received minor pellet injuries was shifted to PHC Hajin for treatment where doctors stated her condition to be stable.
Reports said protests were held in Zainageer area of Sopore against the detention of youth. The protestors were demanding immediate release of youth.
SRINAGAR: The uptown areas of summer capital including the business hub Lal Chowk, Raj Bagh, Jawahar Nagar, Dalgate and others continued to witness a considerable movement of private transport.
Clashes were reported in Noor Bagh area of Srinagar during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth. Clashes were ongoing till late evening, reports said. They said that on Wednesday late evening forces thrashed scores of people who were travelling through Noor Bagh to Cement Kadal road. “Whosoever passed through the way, forces beat them,” they said.
Reports of mild clashes came in from Habba Kadal area. Witnesses said clashes broke out between youth and forces during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the youth.
Similar clashes were reported in Kani Kadal, Chota Bazar area of Srinagar during which scores of tear gas shells were fired by the forces to disperse the agitating youth.
Evening reports said that clashes erupted at Nawa Kadal, Hawal, Gojwara, Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal, Khanyar and Eidgah. Reports of evening protests also poured in from uptown Nowgam and Lasjan.
Reports from Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district said that police arrested nearly a dozen persons during different raids from several areas of the district including Saloora, Tulmulla, Safapora and some other areas. They said that people in some areas protested against the arrests.
Late evening reports said that intense clashes occurred in Batamaloo area of uptown Srinagar where forces fired dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the protestors.
Curfew lifted from Kishtwar: After four days of strict curfew, Kishtwar administration Thursday lifted day curfew across the district. However, police is continuously in search of the other absconding persons who were allegedly involved in pro-freedom sloganeering and protests against civilian killings in Kashmir.
Police version: According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, the situation across the valley remained by and large peaceful today. “There was no untoward incident reported from any part of the valley,” it said.
“During the past 24 hours, police arrested 73 persons,” the statement said.
