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Jammu & Kashmir: 3 more killed, toll 104
19-09-2010
Srinagar, J & K, India, (GK NEWS NETWORK): Three persons were killed across Kashmir Valley in the police and CRPF firing on protesters on Saturday even as the missing Islamabad youth’s body was fished from river Jhelum while a youth who was injured in Bemina on Tuesday succumbed to his injuries.
Today the ongoing unrest completed 100 days of almost continued shutdown and curfew during which 104 persons, mainly youth and children, have been killed by police, para-military CRPF and troops since June 11 while dispersing pro-freedom protests.
In the summer capital, curfew was relaxed in several parts after seven days of clampdown while in most of the urban areas army was out for the second day today to contain the protests.
2 KILLED IN PATTAN:
Two civilians were killed and three others injured when police and paramilitary opened fire on a group of protesters near Palhalan, Pattan.
Witnesses said the forces opened fire on a group of Nimazees who were coming out of Masjid near Tantraypora. Two persons were killed on the spot while three others were injured.
The dead were identified as Ansar-ul-Haq Tantray, 22, son of Ghulam Muhammad and Ali Muhammad Waza, 36, son of Ghulam Muhammad—both residents of Tantraypora, Pattan.
Another injured, Muhammad Akbar Sheikh, was immediately rushed to Srinagar hospital for treatment in a critical condition.
The incident, locals said, took place when a group of youths from several inner localities of the area were protesting against the forces’ atrocities. They said police and CRPF had let loose a reign of terror in the locality.
In order to quell the protests, the CRPF deployed in the area lobbed several tear smoke shells. One of the shells, according to witnesses, exploded inside the Abul-Alaa Masjid, Tantraypora, forcing the people to run out of the masjid.
“As people rushed out, the forces fired at them. Two of the injured were hit on the head and died on the spot,” eyewitnesses said.
Police, however, claimed they fired to disperse the protesters who blocked Srinagar-Varmul road and pelted stones on forces.
The incident sparked intense protests as hundreds of people staged anti-India and pro-freedom protests.
While the two were laid to rest in the local martyrs’ graveyard, the area and its peripheries continued to be tense till late evening.
Today’s was the second such incident in the area in the past 11 days. On September 6, five protesters were killed when police and the CRPF fired at the protesters.
Four persons were wounded when police and CRPF troopers fired upon protesters in Varmul town this evening.
Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that troopers fired upon protesters at Azad Gunj bridge. Three of the injured have been shifted to Srinagar for treatment.
FIRING ON FUNERAL IN ISLAMABAD; 1 KILLED:
A youth was killed and at least 12 others injured in Islamabad when government forces opened fire on a funeral procession of teenager Maroof Ahmad Nath (Rajoo), whose body was recovered from river Jhelum six days after he went missing after being chased away allegedly by the paramilitary CRPF troopers.
Six of the injured, including two women, sustained bullet injuries and the condition of two is stated to be critical.
Early in the morning as the body of Maroof Ahmad son of Mukhtar Ahmad Nath, 17, was bought to his residence at Khanabal, people defied curfew and staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
Maroof was missing since Monday after he jumped into river Jehlum at Khanabal to save himself from the wrath of CRPF who were chasing him. Eyewitnesses alleged that the CRPF men hurled bricks on Maroof and two other persons after they jumped into the river while being chased away.
One of the bricks hit Maroof as he went missing while two youth were rescued by the people. Though the authorities engaged Navy persons to fish out the body but they failed. Early in the morning on Saturday the teenager’s body was recovered from the river in Guru village, nearly 6 Kilometers away from Khanabal.
As soon as the news of recovery of Maroof’s body spread, thousands of people from Khanabal and adjoining areas of Nathpora, Batengoo, Pushwara, Danter, Batpora, Zadipora and Harnag defied curfew and took out a procession along with the body and moved ahead.
The procession was joined by hundreds of other people from Naibasti. However, when the procession reached near the General Bus Stand paramilitary forces intercepted them and fired several rounds in air and the resorted to tear gas shelling and fired from a pellet gun resulting into injuries to about six persons. The injured were immediately rushed to a nearby Gousia Hospital and later some of them were shifted to district hospital for treatment.
“After the funeral procession was not allowed to move ahead people decided to come back to Khanabal and offer the Nimazah Jinazah in a local public park and then perform his last rites in a nearby graveyard,” said Sameer Ahmad who was part of the funeral procession.
He said that as the procession, in which thousands of locals were participating, reached near Ahlihadees Masjid at Naibasti, the forces appeared on the spot and without any provocation resorted to indiscriminate firing.
At least six people sustained bullet injuries in the firing while Noor-Ul-Amin Dagga son of Muhammad Amin Dagga of Naibasti died on the spot. The injured have been identified as Bilal Ahmad Najar son of Ghulam Ahmad Najar of Khanabal—who police said is the district president of the youth wing of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The other injured included Zahoor Ahmad Dar, Muhammad Rafiq Dar and Gulzar Ahmad.
Two women namely Zahida Akhtar daughter of Farooq Ahmad Rah of Batengoo and Tanveera Yousuf wife of Muhammad Yousuf of Khanabal also sustained bullet injuries in the firing by government forces.
All of them were shifted to district hospital Islamabad for treatment where from the two critically injured persons, Bilal Ahmad and Zahoor Ahmad, were shifted to SKIMS, Srinagar.
“Bilal had received a bullet in his chest while Zahoor has a spinal cord injury,” said a doctor at District hospital adding that there condition was very critical.
After the firing incident, authorities enforced strict curfew and severe restrictions in the entire area and people were not even allowed to peep through the window panes of their houses. The deployment was even extended to the lanes and by-lanes of the town.
While police said the protesters pelted stones at the house of a mainstream politician and Samajwadi Party leader, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, and were trying to set it on fire when the forces opened fire, the locals rubbished the claims.
“Police and CRPF opened fire on funeral procession near Masjid-e-Ahlihadees Naibasti while the house cum office of the said politician is located in the interiors of General Bus Stand, at least a kilometre and a half away from the spot. It is a blatant lie by police who want to justify the killing of innocents,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.
In Shopian town of South Kashmir strict curfew remained in place to prevent people from venturing out of their homes after a youth was killed Friday evening in police and CRPF firing on protesters.
Reports said huge rolls of barbed concertina wire had been placed on all roads in the town and all entry points had been sealed by the police and CRPF. However, people from adjacent villages visited the family of Imtiyaz Ahmad Malla of Pehlipora Shopian who was killed in firing by forces Friday evening.
Meanwhile, body of 21-year old Rashid Ahmad Ganai son of Ghulam Hassan Ganaie of Borihalan, Hirpora, Shopian was recovered from a mulberry nursery in Padhpawan this morning. Ganaie was a class fourth employee in Sericulture department and was missing since Wednesday.
His family members had also lodged a missing report after he didn’t turn up till late that night. They said his body was bearing severe torture marks and burns near his private parts. Police has lodged an FIR and started the investigations. Pertinently, clashes between government forces and youth were witnessed that day till late in the night.
The other South Kashmir townships including Bijbehara, Kulgam, Qaimoh, Pulwama, Kakpora, Awantipora, Pampore and Tral remained under strict curfew for the seventh consecutive day today without any relaxation.
However, reports of clashes were received from several peripheral areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Kakpora and Sangam. Several youth allegedly involved in stone pelting were rounded by the police and CRPF in Pampore.
SRINAGAR:
The Bemina youth, Fayaz Ahmad Naikoo, 32, of Boatman Colony, Bemina succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS, today.
He was injured on Tuesday near Boatman colony when police and paramilitary fired teargas shells and live ammunition to disperse a group of pro-freedom protesters.
Naikoo since then had been admitted in an ICU.
“He had a firearm injury in his brain. He had been under observation in an ICU,” a senior doctor at SKIMS said. He succumbed today.
For the first time in seven days, authorities relaxed curfew in the south and east zones of the city and in Kakapora town of Pulwama district from 12 noon to 4 pm. The relaxation was later extended till late evening.
However, curfew was re-imposed in Batmaloo as protests erupted soon after the relaxation was announced. No relaxation was given in the localities falling under the jurisdiction of Maisuma and Kralkhud police stations.
During the relaxation, protests also broke out in several downtown localities including Khanyar, Bohri Kadal and other localities as youth came out of their homes and pelted forces with stones. Several policemen got injured in the clashes.
The clashes continued intermittently for a few hours.
CRACKDOWNS IN KUPWARA; 1 INJURED IN ARMY FIRING:
Army was today deployed in strength in different towns of the Kupwara district—conducting flag marches and laying cordon and search operations in several areas.
A civilian was injured when forces opened fire at a group of pro-freedom demonstrators at Hirri. The injured has been identified as Shams-ud-din Sofi son of Ali Muhammad Sofi resident of Hirri.
Witnesses said that the army of Hirri camp thrashed people irrespective of age and sex. Sofi (19) was working in fields when troopers called him and thrashed him.
While locals assembled and staged anti-army protests, the army men opened fire and shot at Sofi injuring him critically. He was rushed to sub-district hospital Kupwara, where doctors referred him to SKIMS, Srinagar in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, curfew remained in force in Kupwara, Handwara, Trehgam and Kralpora, Chotipora and Langate.
Army conducted door-to-door searches and launched crackdowns in many villages.
Locals told Greater Kashmir that troopers of Rashtriya Rifles cordoned off the Sohipora, Paithpora, Gutlipora and Shatpora, Sulkoote, Rigipora, Cheerkote and Lalpora. They directed people to assemble at one place and conducted searches.
“The army threatened us of dire consequences if we staged protests,” said locals of Lalpora.
Army also carried out a crackdown in Panzgam. Meanwhile locals alleged troopers barged into Batergam. Hayan, Alachizub and Awoora and ransacked several houses.
The army’s Srinagar-based spokesman, Lt Col, J S Brar, when contacted, said that army searched the areas after receiving inputs about presence of militants in these localities.
Meanwhile, reports from Banibagh, Kangan, said that four persons were injured after CRPF thrashed locals including two women. Locals said the CRPF action was unprovoked as there weren’t any protests or stone-pelting in the area.
They were admitted to a hospital for treatment.
BUDGAM:
Situation in central Kashmir’s Budgam district continued to be tense on Saturday as various areas remained under curfew for the 7th consecutive day today.
Reports said though situation in main Budgam town was under control, there were reports of stone pelting by youth on police and paramilitary troops in Galwanpora and Pirbagh.
Police had to fire teargas shells in air to disperse the angry youth in Galwanpora. However nobody was injured in the police action, reports said.
Protests also broke out in Ompora. Situation in other parts of Budgam including Chadoora, Nagam, Kralpora continued to be tense. Strict restrictions were put in place on the any sort of movement in different areas including main town of Charar-e-Sharief.
19-09-2010
Srinagar, J & K, India, (GK NEWS NETWORK): Three persons were killed across Kashmir Valley in the police and CRPF firing on protesters on Saturday even as the missing Islamabad youth’s body was fished from river Jhelum while a youth who was injured in Bemina on Tuesday succumbed to his injuries.
Today the ongoing unrest completed 100 days of almost continued shutdown and curfew during which 104 persons, mainly youth and children, have been killed by police, para-military CRPF and troops since June 11 while dispersing pro-freedom protests.
In the summer capital, curfew was relaxed in several parts after seven days of clampdown while in most of the urban areas army was out for the second day today to contain the protests.
2 KILLED IN PATTAN:
Two civilians were killed and three others injured when police and paramilitary opened fire on a group of protesters near Palhalan, Pattan.
Witnesses said the forces opened fire on a group of Nimazees who were coming out of Masjid near Tantraypora. Two persons were killed on the spot while three others were injured.
The dead were identified as Ansar-ul-Haq Tantray, 22, son of Ghulam Muhammad and Ali Muhammad Waza, 36, son of Ghulam Muhammad—both residents of Tantraypora, Pattan.
Another injured, Muhammad Akbar Sheikh, was immediately rushed to Srinagar hospital for treatment in a critical condition.
The incident, locals said, took place when a group of youths from several inner localities of the area were protesting against the forces’ atrocities. They said police and CRPF had let loose a reign of terror in the locality.
In order to quell the protests, the CRPF deployed in the area lobbed several tear smoke shells. One of the shells, according to witnesses, exploded inside the Abul-Alaa Masjid, Tantraypora, forcing the people to run out of the masjid.
“As people rushed out, the forces fired at them. Two of the injured were hit on the head and died on the spot,” eyewitnesses said.
Police, however, claimed they fired to disperse the protesters who blocked Srinagar-Varmul road and pelted stones on forces.
The incident sparked intense protests as hundreds of people staged anti-India and pro-freedom protests.
While the two were laid to rest in the local martyrs’ graveyard, the area and its peripheries continued to be tense till late evening.
Today’s was the second such incident in the area in the past 11 days. On September 6, five protesters were killed when police and the CRPF fired at the protesters.
Four persons were wounded when police and CRPF troopers fired upon protesters in Varmul town this evening.
Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that troopers fired upon protesters at Azad Gunj bridge. Three of the injured have been shifted to Srinagar for treatment.
FIRING ON FUNERAL IN ISLAMABAD; 1 KILLED:
A youth was killed and at least 12 others injured in Islamabad when government forces opened fire on a funeral procession of teenager Maroof Ahmad Nath (Rajoo), whose body was recovered from river Jhelum six days after he went missing after being chased away allegedly by the paramilitary CRPF troopers.
Six of the injured, including two women, sustained bullet injuries and the condition of two is stated to be critical.
Early in the morning as the body of Maroof Ahmad son of Mukhtar Ahmad Nath, 17, was bought to his residence at Khanabal, people defied curfew and staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
Maroof was missing since Monday after he jumped into river Jehlum at Khanabal to save himself from the wrath of CRPF who were chasing him. Eyewitnesses alleged that the CRPF men hurled bricks on Maroof and two other persons after they jumped into the river while being chased away.
One of the bricks hit Maroof as he went missing while two youth were rescued by the people. Though the authorities engaged Navy persons to fish out the body but they failed. Early in the morning on Saturday the teenager’s body was recovered from the river in Guru village, nearly 6 Kilometers away from Khanabal.
As soon as the news of recovery of Maroof’s body spread, thousands of people from Khanabal and adjoining areas of Nathpora, Batengoo, Pushwara, Danter, Batpora, Zadipora and Harnag defied curfew and took out a procession along with the body and moved ahead.
The procession was joined by hundreds of other people from Naibasti. However, when the procession reached near the General Bus Stand paramilitary forces intercepted them and fired several rounds in air and the resorted to tear gas shelling and fired from a pellet gun resulting into injuries to about six persons. The injured were immediately rushed to a nearby Gousia Hospital and later some of them were shifted to district hospital for treatment.
“After the funeral procession was not allowed to move ahead people decided to come back to Khanabal and offer the Nimazah Jinazah in a local public park and then perform his last rites in a nearby graveyard,” said Sameer Ahmad who was part of the funeral procession.
He said that as the procession, in which thousands of locals were participating, reached near Ahlihadees Masjid at Naibasti, the forces appeared on the spot and without any provocation resorted to indiscriminate firing.
At least six people sustained bullet injuries in the firing while Noor-Ul-Amin Dagga son of Muhammad Amin Dagga of Naibasti died on the spot. The injured have been identified as Bilal Ahmad Najar son of Ghulam Ahmad Najar of Khanabal—who police said is the district president of the youth wing of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The other injured included Zahoor Ahmad Dar, Muhammad Rafiq Dar and Gulzar Ahmad.
Two women namely Zahida Akhtar daughter of Farooq Ahmad Rah of Batengoo and Tanveera Yousuf wife of Muhammad Yousuf of Khanabal also sustained bullet injuries in the firing by government forces.
All of them were shifted to district hospital Islamabad for treatment where from the two critically injured persons, Bilal Ahmad and Zahoor Ahmad, were shifted to SKIMS, Srinagar.
“Bilal had received a bullet in his chest while Zahoor has a spinal cord injury,” said a doctor at District hospital adding that there condition was very critical.
After the firing incident, authorities enforced strict curfew and severe restrictions in the entire area and people were not even allowed to peep through the window panes of their houses. The deployment was even extended to the lanes and by-lanes of the town.
While police said the protesters pelted stones at the house of a mainstream politician and Samajwadi Party leader, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, and were trying to set it on fire when the forces opened fire, the locals rubbished the claims.
“Police and CRPF opened fire on funeral procession near Masjid-e-Ahlihadees Naibasti while the house cum office of the said politician is located in the interiors of General Bus Stand, at least a kilometre and a half away from the spot. It is a blatant lie by police who want to justify the killing of innocents,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.
In Shopian town of South Kashmir strict curfew remained in place to prevent people from venturing out of their homes after a youth was killed Friday evening in police and CRPF firing on protesters.
Reports said huge rolls of barbed concertina wire had been placed on all roads in the town and all entry points had been sealed by the police and CRPF. However, people from adjacent villages visited the family of Imtiyaz Ahmad Malla of Pehlipora Shopian who was killed in firing by forces Friday evening.
Meanwhile, body of 21-year old Rashid Ahmad Ganai son of Ghulam Hassan Ganaie of Borihalan, Hirpora, Shopian was recovered from a mulberry nursery in Padhpawan this morning. Ganaie was a class fourth employee in Sericulture department and was missing since Wednesday.
His family members had also lodged a missing report after he didn’t turn up till late that night. They said his body was bearing severe torture marks and burns near his private parts. Police has lodged an FIR and started the investigations. Pertinently, clashes between government forces and youth were witnessed that day till late in the night.
The other South Kashmir townships including Bijbehara, Kulgam, Qaimoh, Pulwama, Kakpora, Awantipora, Pampore and Tral remained under strict curfew for the seventh consecutive day today without any relaxation.
However, reports of clashes were received from several peripheral areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Kakpora and Sangam. Several youth allegedly involved in stone pelting were rounded by the police and CRPF in Pampore.
SRINAGAR:
The Bemina youth, Fayaz Ahmad Naikoo, 32, of Boatman Colony, Bemina succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS, today.
He was injured on Tuesday near Boatman colony when police and paramilitary fired teargas shells and live ammunition to disperse a group of pro-freedom protesters.
Naikoo since then had been admitted in an ICU.
“He had a firearm injury in his brain. He had been under observation in an ICU,” a senior doctor at SKIMS said. He succumbed today.
For the first time in seven days, authorities relaxed curfew in the south and east zones of the city and in Kakapora town of Pulwama district from 12 noon to 4 pm. The relaxation was later extended till late evening.
However, curfew was re-imposed in Batmaloo as protests erupted soon after the relaxation was announced. No relaxation was given in the localities falling under the jurisdiction of Maisuma and Kralkhud police stations.
During the relaxation, protests also broke out in several downtown localities including Khanyar, Bohri Kadal and other localities as youth came out of their homes and pelted forces with stones. Several policemen got injured in the clashes.
The clashes continued intermittently for a few hours.
CRACKDOWNS IN KUPWARA; 1 INJURED IN ARMY FIRING:
Army was today deployed in strength in different towns of the Kupwara district—conducting flag marches and laying cordon and search operations in several areas.
A civilian was injured when forces opened fire at a group of pro-freedom demonstrators at Hirri. The injured has been identified as Shams-ud-din Sofi son of Ali Muhammad Sofi resident of Hirri.
Witnesses said that the army of Hirri camp thrashed people irrespective of age and sex. Sofi (19) was working in fields when troopers called him and thrashed him.
While locals assembled and staged anti-army protests, the army men opened fire and shot at Sofi injuring him critically. He was rushed to sub-district hospital Kupwara, where doctors referred him to SKIMS, Srinagar in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, curfew remained in force in Kupwara, Handwara, Trehgam and Kralpora, Chotipora and Langate.
Army conducted door-to-door searches and launched crackdowns in many villages.
Locals told Greater Kashmir that troopers of Rashtriya Rifles cordoned off the Sohipora, Paithpora, Gutlipora and Shatpora, Sulkoote, Rigipora, Cheerkote and Lalpora. They directed people to assemble at one place and conducted searches.
“The army threatened us of dire consequences if we staged protests,” said locals of Lalpora.
Army also carried out a crackdown in Panzgam. Meanwhile locals alleged troopers barged into Batergam. Hayan, Alachizub and Awoora and ransacked several houses.
The army’s Srinagar-based spokesman, Lt Col, J S Brar, when contacted, said that army searched the areas after receiving inputs about presence of militants in these localities.
Meanwhile, reports from Banibagh, Kangan, said that four persons were injured after CRPF thrashed locals including two women. Locals said the CRPF action was unprovoked as there weren’t any protests or stone-pelting in the area.
They were admitted to a hospital for treatment.
BUDGAM:
Situation in central Kashmir’s Budgam district continued to be tense on Saturday as various areas remained under curfew for the 7th consecutive day today.
Reports said though situation in main Budgam town was under control, there were reports of stone pelting by youth on police and paramilitary troops in Galwanpora and Pirbagh.
Police had to fire teargas shells in air to disperse the angry youth in Galwanpora. However nobody was injured in the police action, reports said.
Protests also broke out in Ompora. Situation in other parts of Budgam including Chadoora, Nagam, Kralpora continued to be tense. Strict restrictions were put in place on the any sort of movement in different areas including main town of Charar-e-Sharief.