- Shutdown continues across Kashmir on 147th Day
- 25 Youth detained during nocturnal raids in Pulwama
At least 10 persons sustained injuries across Kashmir in the fresh clashes that erupted after Friday congregational prayers. Five youth were detained in old city after clashes with forces.
Shutdown was observed on 147th day of the ongoing agitation as shops, other business establishments and schools remained closed.
The movement of private and public transport was negligible on roads as it decreased manifold on Friday. People in Tahab village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district staged a protest against the arrest spree. They hit roads and raised pro-freedom slogans. The protesters said that during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday police conducted nocturnal raids and arrested more than 25 youth from the village.
Reports said that soon after Friday congregational prayers, youth took to streets in Tahab village and raised pro-freedom slogans.
The youths pelted stones on forces deployed near the CRPF camp who in retaliation fired shells, witnesses said.
Two persons were injured in the clashes which continued till evening.
“Around 24 youth were arrested from the village who were involved in stone pelting incidents,” SSP Pulwama Rayees Mohammad Bhat said.
Hundreds of people assembled in main chowk Arihal and held pro-freedom protests. Later the people led by separatist leader Abdul Samad Inquilabi took out a protest march on the roads of Arihal.
According to police, based on specific information, army and SOG cordoned off Wurpara Nagbal in Shopian district late evening. “As the cordon was being laid, militants fired towards forces. The forces retaliated. But the militants taking advantage of the darkness managed to escape from the village,” police said.
Reports said that as soon as the forces reached the village, the locals including women, men came out of their homes and pelted stones on forces and also raised slogans. The forces retaliated with lobbing shells to disperse them.
However, locals alleged that forces had arrived to detain local youth which was resisted by them. They claimed that there was no militant in the area, as claimed by authorities.
“The forces had come to arrest youths and they also tried to enter residential houses,” locals said.
However police rejected their version saying that there was no plan to arrest anyone.
Talking to Kashmir Post, SSP Shopian Tahir Saleem said, “It was an operation against militants only.”
Clashes erupted after Friday congregational prayers in Batamaloo area of Srinagar city when a large number of protesting youth hit roads near Reka Chowk and pelted stones on government forces who according to witnesses retaliated with pellets. The clashes continued for a few hours.
At Nowhatta, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led a protest rally after culmination of Friday prayers. Later clashes erupted at Rajouri Kadal. Eight persons received minor injuries during clashes. Reports said that police arrested five youth in Shah-e-Khaas after clashes.
Intense clashes erupted in Sopore town of Baramulla district after Friday prayers, reports said. People in large numbers assembled in Jamia Masjid area of Sopore town and started shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
They later started marching towards main chowk. However, police and paramilitary forces were deployed there in strength. Witnesses said that the presence of forces enraged some youth who started pelting stones at the security forces and police. Police and paramilitary forces retaliated and resorted to massive teargas shelling.
Reports said that pro-freedom protests were also held in Newa and Aarihal area of Pulwama district.
Dooru area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district where a man was killed on Thursday night witnessed strict curfew and restrictions. People were not allowed to venture out of their houses, locals said.
Friday congregational prayers were allowed today in Jamia Masjid Beehama Chowk in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Thousands of people offered prayers at the Masjid. However, there were no reports of any protests. Locals were prevented from offering Friday congregational prayers in this Masjid from July 9 this year. The undeclared ban was revoked in the first week of November, however locals offered prayers today in the Masjid after around five months.
Mild clashes erupted in Papchan area of Bandipora post Friday prayers.
A peaceful pro-freedom rally was held in Ajas after Friday prayers. The protesters marched from Jamia Masjid Ajas to main chowk, raising pro-freedom slogans.
The movement of private and public transport decreased on roads across Kashmir on Friday. Markets which witnessed large number of street vendors from past several weeks also presented deserted look.
