PTI:More than 200 people were injured in clashes between stone pelters
and security forces in Kashmir on Sunday, on a day an all-party parliamentary
delegation was in Srinagar to assess the ground situation in the valley where
normal life remained paralyzed for 58th consecutive day.
There was no
curfew in the valley except some areas of Srinagar falling under the Police
Stations of Khanyar, Safakadal, Nowhatta, Rainawari and M R Gunj, a
police spokesman said.
Ten incidents of
stone pelting were reported from Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian,
Awantipora and Sopore, he said.
In Shopian
district of south Kashmir, clashes broke out in the morning and continued for
most part of the day with protesters setting ablaze the mini-secretariat
building which houses the deputy commissioner’s office, a police official said.
“In Shopian, a mob
attacked and set ablaze mini secretariat Shopian. The fire was brought under
control. However, the structure suffered partial damage,” he said.
The clashes
erupted after police stopped people in Penjoora village of the district from
taking out a rally, the official said, adding over 100 people were injured.
He said the
security forces used baton charge and tear-gas shelling to disperse the
protesters.
Clashes were also
reported from Tral area of Pulwama district where more than 60 people were hurt
in action by security forces against the stone pelters.
“In Tral, a huge
mob pelted stones on the police and security forces. Some of the miscreants,
when chased, entered a ziyarat (shrine) and again started pelting
stones from the compound of the ziyarat,”
the spokesman said, adding police “cautiously” handled the situation.
Protesters also
attacked the house of ruling Peoples Democratic Party MLA from Tral
constituency Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, breaking the window panes of the building.
“There were
clashes between protesters and security forces in Tral and amidst those
clashes, some miscreants attacked the house of Tral legislator Mushtaq Ahmad
Shah with stones,” a police official said.
He said the
protesters broke the window panes of the house, but no one was injured. The
forces deployed in the area fired several tear-gas canisters and managed to
disperse the protesters from the spot, the official said.
In Sopore town of
north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, at least 25 people were hurt in the clashes
during the day, the official said. Condition of three of the injured persons is
stated to be critical.
Giving details of
the violence, the police spokesman said “mobs assembled on the roads and
attempted to disturb the normal traffic and movement of people by pelting
stones on vehicles and later on at police and security force deployments”.
On Saturday,
protesters in the neighbouring Kulgam district burnt a house of the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party block president Gulzar Ahmad who had facilitated a
meeting of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with the family of a victim of
security forces firing in the district.
Mehbooba visited
the family of Late Mashooq Ahmed, firing victim of Kund, Kulgam and offered
heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on Saturday.
Normal life in the
Valley remained paralysed for the 58th day as restrictions continued in the
rest of the Valley which has been hit by violence triggered by the killing of
Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
“Curfew remains in
force in five police station areas of downtown Srinagar,” a police spokesman
said.
He said curfew in
these areas of the summer capital continued as a precautionary measure in view
of the call given by separatists asking people to occupy Airport road, city
centre Lal Chowk and district headquarters against the all-party delegation’s
visit.
Due to the
restrictions and separatist-sponsored shutdown, shops, business establishments
and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during the day. They are opened only
in the evening. Public transport continued to be off the roads.
As many as 71
persons, including two police personnel, have been killed and several thousand
others injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in the
Valley since Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8.
