Curfew, strike, protests back
Shalteng Youth Laid To Rest, Toll 51; Prayers Offered On Roads At Many Places
GOWHAR BHAT/KHALID G
Srinagar, Aug 9: A complete shutdown was observed across the Valley on Monday as per the Hurriyat’s fresh protest programme even as downtown Srinagar and several towns and district headquarters remained locked down due to curfew.
Protests broke out in HMT in the city outskirts and its neighbouring pockets after last night’s death of a youth who was injured in police firing last week, taking the number of persons killed by police and CRPF in the valley since June 11 to 51.
Protesters raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, staging protests. They pelted stones on police and CRPF and the clashes continued intermittently throughout the day. The forces repeatedly cane charged the protesters who kept regrouping.
Fida Nabi, 17, son of Ghulam Nabi Lone of Umarabad, HMT Shalteng, was laid to rest at Martyrs' graveyard Iddgah in the wee hours on Monday. He was hit by a police bullet in his head when protests were going on at Qamarwari on August 3.
At Fida’s home, his mother Zahida wept inconsolably as she recounted how he had told her a week ago to drape his body in an Islamic flag and “not to weep in case I am martyred.”
“While youth were getting killed all across the Kashmir valley, he gave me the flag, and willed that Syed Ali Shah Geelani should lead his funeral prayers if he was martyred,” a shattered Zahida said.
Fida was working as a salesman to support his shopkeeper father. Family members say he was playing carom outside his home when suddenly a passing by funeral procession of a youth drew his attention. “He couldn’t control his emotions and joined the funeral procession, which was dispersed by unprovoked firing by CRPF troops and police near HMT,” a relative said.
In downtown, police and paramilitary CRPF men were deployed in large numbers as they imposed restrictions and didn’t allow people to venture out of their homes. Most of the roads and streets were barricaded by concertina wires to check pedestrian and vehicular movement. The situation in the uptown areas was relatively relaxed. A thin movement of pedestrians as well as private vehicles was witnessed during the day.
Hurriyat Conference (G), as per its protest calendar had asked people to stage sit-in protests during the day and offer prayers on roads. However, the protest plan was foiled by restrictions. In the evening, as the deployment of police and CRPF was withdrawn, protests broke out at several places in downtown including Nowpora, Khanyar, Rainawari and other localities. Witnesses said protesters hurled stones at forces who hurled them back using sling shots.
SOUTH KASHMIR:
Curfew-like restrictions prevailed in all South Kashmir towns even as reports of people offering prayers on the roads were received from many areas. In old town Islamabad police and paramilitary CRPF men were deployed in strength and the movement of people was restricted. Though only Section 144 was imposed by the authorities but the residents of Cheeni Chowk, Malakhnag, Reeshi Bazar, Lal Chowk and Kadipora alleged that police and CRPF didn’t allow them to move out. However, in the civil line areas of Khanabal-Pahalgam (K.P) Road there were no such restrictions as people offered Zuhar, Asar and Magrib prayers on roads in Khanabal and Naibasti areas and also staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
Reports of people offering prayers on the roads were also received from the adjoining areas of Achabal and Arwani.
Restrictions were also imposed in Kulgam town also with reports of prayers being offered on the roads in Qaimoh, Rampur, Khudwani and Redwani areas.
In Pulwama and Kakpora strict restrictions were put in place with reports of pro-freedom demonstrations and prayers on the roads pouring in from many areas of the district. In Pampore, Wachi and Tral also people staged pro-freedom demonstrations and held prayers on the roads.
Massive pro-freedom demonstrations rocked the Shopian town also. People in large numbers offered Zuhar, Asar and Maghrib prayers outside the Jamia-Masjid. After every prayer people marched through the streets of the town amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Reports of clashes between police and CRPF men were received from many areas of Islamabad and Pulwama towns late in the evening when the restrictions were eased.
NORTH KASHMIR:
Curfew-like restrictions remained in place in the North Kashmir towns of Varmul, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora as prohibitory orders under Section 144 remained in place.
Police Curfew, strike, protests back
Shalteng Youth Laid To Rest, Toll 51; Prayers Offered On Roads At Many Places
GOWHAR BHAT/KHALID GUL
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Srinagar, Aug 9: A complete shutdown was observed across the Valley on Monday as per the Hurriyat’s fresh protest programme even as downtown Srinagar and several towns and district headquarters remained locked down due to curfew.
Protests broke out in HMT in the city outskirts and its neighbouring pockets after last night’s death of a youth who was injured in police firing last week, taking the number of persons killed by police and CRPF in the valley since June 11 to 51.
Protesters raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, staging protests. They pelted stones on police and CRPF and the clashes continued intermittently throughout the day. The forces repeatedly cane charged the protesters who kept regrouping.
Fida Nabi, 17, son of Ghulam Nabi Lone of Umarabad, HMT Shalteng, was laid to rest at Martyrs' graveyard Iddgah in the wee hours on Monday. He was hit by a police bullet in his head when protests were going on at Qamarwari on August 3.
At Fida’s home, his mother Zahida wept inconsolably as she recounted how he had told her a week ago to drape his body in an Islamic flag and “not to weep in case I am martyred.”
“While youth were getting killed all across the Kashmir valley, he gave me the flag, and willed that Syed Ali Shah Geelani should lead his funeral prayers if he was martyred,” a shattered Zahida said.
Fida was working as a salesman to support his shopkeeper father. Family members say he was playing carom outside his home when suddenly a passing by funeral procession of a youth drew his attention. “He couldn’t control his emotions and joined the funeral procession, which was dispersed by unprovoked firing by CRPF troops and police near HMT,” a relative said.
In downtown, police and paramilitary CRPF men were deployed in large numbers as they imposed restrictions and didn’t allow people to venture out of their homes. Most of the roads and streets were barricaded by concertina wires to check pedestrian and vehicular movement. The situation in the uptown areas was relatively relaxed. A thin movement of pedestrians as well as private vehicles was witnessed during the day.
Hurriyat Conference (G), as per its protest calendar had asked people to stage sit-in protests during the day and offer prayers on roads. However, the protest plan was foiled by restrictions. In the evening, as the deployment of police and CRPF was withdrawn, protests broke out at several places in downtown including Nowpora, Khanyar, Rainawari and other localities. Witnesses said protesters hurled stones at forces who hurled them back using sling shots.
SOUTH KASHMIR:
Curfew-like restrictions prevailed in all South Kashmir towns even as reports of people offering prayers on the roads were received from many areas. In old town Islamabad police and paramilitary CRPF men were deployed in strength and the movement of people was restricted. Though only Section 144 was imposed by the authorities but the residents of Cheeni Chowk, Malakhnag, Reeshi Bazar, Lal Chowk and Kadipora alleged that police and CRPF didn’t allow them to move out. However, in the civil line areas of Khanabal-Pahalgam (K.P) Road there were no such restrictions as people offered Zuhar, Asar and Magrib prayers on roads in Khanabal and Naibasti areas and also staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
Reports of people offering prayers on the roads were also received from the adjoining areas of Achabal and Arwani.
Restrictions were also imposed in Kulgam town also with reports of prayers being offered on the roads in Qaimoh, Rampur, Khudwani and Redwani areas.
In Pulwama and Kakpora strict restrictions were put in place with reports of pro-freedom demonstrations and prayers on the roads pouring in from many areas of the district. In Pampore, Wachi and Tral also people staged pro-freedom demonstrations and held prayers on the roads.
Massive pro-freedom demonstrations rocked the Shopian town also. People in large numbers offered Zuhar, Asar and Maghrib prayers outside the Jamia-Masjid. After every prayer people marched through the streets of the town amid pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Reports of clashes between police and CRPF men were received from many areas of Islamabad and Pulwama towns late in the evening when the restrictions were eased.
NORTH KASHMIR:
Curfew-like restrictions remained in place in the North Kashmir towns of Varmul, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Bandipora as prohibitory orders under Section 144 remained in place.
Police and CRPF blocked roads and streets at several points by erecting barricades.
The old town Varmul, which has been the hub of pro-freedom protests, police and CRPF blocked all the three bridges linking old town with the civil lines areas.
Protests broke out on Cement Bridge and Azad Gunj Bridge after police didn’t allow people to cross the bridges.
The forces restricted people of the old town areas and didn’t allow them to move towards civil lines where officials were holding the District Development Board meeting.
In Safapora and Naidkhai, people came out in large numbers, staged protests and offered day prayers on the roads.
Reports from Bandipora said protests were also held at Papchan, Kanosa, Saderkoot Bala and other localities after people offered congregational prayers.
The Kupwara and Handwara towns remained locked down due to the strike call and restrictions.
CRPF blocked roads and streets at several points by erecting barricades.
The old town Varmul, which has been the hub of pro-freedom protests, police and CRPF blocked all the three bridges linking old town with the civil lines areas.
Protests broke out on Cement Bridge and Azad Gunj Bridge after police didn’t allow people to cross the bridges.
The forces restricted people of the old town areas and didn’t allow them to move towards civil lines where officials were holding the District Development Board meeting.
In Safapora and Naidkhai, people came out in large numbers, staged protests and offered day prayers on the roads.
Reports from Bandipora said protests were also held at Papchan, Kanosa, Saderkoot Bala and other localities after people offered congregational prayers.
The Kupwara and Handwara towns remained locked down due to the strike call and restrictions.
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