- Day 96: Forces foil freedom rallies, dozens injured
- Separatists extend shutdown till Oct 20
- 37 ‘stone-pelters’ arrested in 24 hours: Police
- Fresh protests, clashes in several areas
Amid complete shutdown across Kashmir, forces foiled several pro-freedom rallies on Wednesday while clashes erupted in Pampore township in southern Pulwama district and its adjoining areas after a three-day-long gunfight ended with the killing of two militants, reports and witnesses said. Dozens of youth sustained injuries in the forces’ action, they said, even as life continued to remain paralyzed for the 96th consecutive day.
Reports said police used tear-smoke shells to disperse protesters who had hit the streets against “arrest of youths” in Rambagh area of Srinagar. During the clashes, policemen bundled a local youth into its vehicle, but were forced to release him after stiff resistance by women. The detained youth was not part of any street protest, according to locals. Locals at nearby Chanapora area blocked the main road against nocturnal raids by police. They alleged that police picked up an “innocent youth” during the previous night.
Meanwhile, soon after an encounter at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore on Srinagar-Anantnag highway ended, massive protests broke out at nearby Sumberbugh, Seer, Kadlabal, Pampore, Frestbal and other adjoining areas. Reports said youth resorted to stone-pelting to demand bodies of the slain militants. Youth also resorted to stone-pelting at Zewan on Zaffran Colony near the Indian Oil depot and were raising pro-freedom slogans and demanding bodies of the two slain militants, they said.
Reports said peaceful protests were held at Khanyar, Nowhatta, and Gojwara areas of old Srinagar after evening prayers.
South Kashmir
At least eight people were injured after forces, in a bid to foil ‘Frisal March’ in Kulgam district, fired tear-smoke shells and pellets. Locals had called for a march to Frisal area, but police imposed strict curfew and restrictions to foil it. Witnesses said a large number of people tried to defy the curfew and started marching towards the rally venue. However, at Bugam village, they were stopped by forces. The agitated protesters pelted stones while in retaliation, tear-smoke shells and pellets were fired upon them, resulting in injuries to eight people. Reports said police arrested two youth during the melee and lodged them in police station Kulgam. Locals alleged that government forces damaged dozens of residential houses and two shops in the area. “The forces fired pellets and tear-smoke shells continuously to scare people,” they said.
Forces also foiled ‘Dadsara freedom march’ in Tral town of Pulwama district where a large contingent of Army, CRPF and Police cordoned off the area and restricted the movement of people. Locals alleged that forces caused damage to private property at Mirpora, Ratherpora, Batapora and Chandrigam as well. The locals, according to reports, resorted to stone-pelting shortly after forces started damaging houses and vehicles. Reports from Anantnag district said forces foiled ‘Seer chalo’ by blocking all roads and imposing strict curfew.
North Kashmir
Reports said clashes erupted between youth and forces in Aloosa Bandipora after police foiled “Aloosa Chalo” called by Kashmir’s joint resistance leadership. Witnesses said huge contingents of forces were deployed in and around the village to foil the march. They said youth clashed with police in Aloosa Chowk while cops in turn responded by firing dozens of tear-gas shells and pellets. They said that several persons received minor pellet injuries during the clashes.
“Five CRPF personnel were also injured,” they said.
Meanwhile, residents of Ganai Mohalla, Aloosa alleged that forces went berserk in the village and damaged residential houses, smashed windowpanes and beat up inmates. To protest the forces’ action, hundreds of men and women took to streets and raised anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. Witnesses said police lobbed teargas and sound shells to disperse the protesting villagers. Late evening reports said four youth sustained pellet injuries at Aloosa and one of them was hit by pellets in his right eye while another sustained injuries on his chest. Reports said a torch procession was held at Ajas.
Reports from Sopore said forces resorted to “vandalism” in Shangergund area by damaging residential houses and beating up inmates. They alleged that forces fired tear gas shells inside the residential houses.
Reports said protests against arrest of local youth were witnessed in many areas of Sopore that include Muslim Peer, Chanakhan, Bomia, Tujjar Sharief and Botengu.
Central Kashmir
The police foiled “Safapora Chalo” called by Kashmir’s joint resistance leadership. Locals at Safapora town in Ganderbal said forces were deployed in strength in many of its areas while all entry points connecting Safapora market with other areas were sealed with barbed wire and barricades. Reports said immediately after a group of youth started pro-freedom sloganeering in the area, forces chased them away. Later, the protesting youth resorted to mild stone-pelting on the forces.
Meanwhile, the unified separatist leaders Wednesday extended shutdown upto October 20 with daily relaxation from 5 pm to 7 am except Friday.
They also stressed upon people not to stop public vehicular movement from 10 pm to 6 am.
A statement of the unified separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik issued here today said on Friday, October 14, there would be no relaxation and people have been asked to march from 7 am toward the Governor’s office in Srinagar and handover a letter asking him to vacate Jammu Kashmir.
They have also asked people to offer Friday congregational prayers along the Dalgate-Boulevord- Shalimar road.
On Saturday, October 15, the separatist leadership has asked people in Kargil, Pir Panjal Range and Chenab Valley to march from 7 am to places identified and agreed upon locally and mutually and urged people to hold ‘freedom congregations’ post Dhur (afternoon) prayers and organise support and solidarity rallies across Kashmir valley for the people of these regions.
The separatist leadership said during the relaxation period on Saturday, people have been asked to put black flags on shops and vehicles as a mark of protest against the continued “oppression of Muslims by Hindutva forces” in these regions.
On Sunday, October 16, socio-religious organisations like Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat-i-Ahlihadees, Tehreek-e-Sawtul Awliya, Karwaan-i-Islami, Ummat-i-Islami, Anjuman-i-Tableeghul Islam and others have been asked to start a door-to-door campaign to raise funds for the support of transporters and people have been asked to identify and prepare a list at Mohalla level of all drivers, conductors, auto rickshaw, sumo vehicles, cabs, matadors and bus owners and extend help to them in all possible ways.
On Monday, October 17, the unified separatists have asked people to join Azadi road shows and march toward district headquarters on two wheelers including bicycles and motorcycles and by foot and if and wherever stopped, they have been asked to assemble, occupy and protest at that place till 4 pm.
The unified separatist leadership has asked to observe Tuesday, October 18 as ‘Women’s Day’ and urged people to assemble and occupy local chowks and centres from Dhur to Asr in the vicinity of their mohallas, villages and localities and protest with flags, placards and banners with ‘freedom’ messages and slogans.
On Wednesday, October 19, people have been asked to march from 7 am from Kupwara to Sogam, Baramulla to Kreeri, Bandipora to Naidkhai, Budgam to Soibugh, Ganderbal to Manigam, Srinagar to Khonmoh, Pulwama to Newa, Shopian to Zainpora, Kulgam to Pahloo and Islamabad to Achabal and urged to hold ‘freedom congregation’ post Dhur prayers at the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually.
On Thursday, October 20, the unified separatist leadership has called for a one-day Azadi convention urging people from neighbouring villages and localities to attend the convention in their respective areas from 11 am to 4 pm, and deliberate and discuss ways and means to strengthen the ongoing people’s uprising for ‘freedom’.
Police Version
A police spokesman in an official statement said “in view of the sensitivity of certain areas curfew was imposed in some Police Stations of the old city.”
“However, there was no curfew elsewhere across the valley. The situation remained largely peaceful although a couple of stone pelting incidents were reported.”
The spokesman claimed a number of processions were taken out across Kashmir in which thousands of people participated. “Many of these processions culminated peacefully.”
“Increased flow of traffic and movement of people continued in most areas of Srinagar and other parts of valley. Vendors and shopkeepers were seen doing their usual business in the markets and towns of the valley. Keeping continued pressure on the trouble mongers and miscreants, 37 persons involved in crimes of disruption of peace and movement of people have been arrested by police across Kashmir,” he said.
