Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 7: Curfew like restrictions in parts of Kashmir and shutdown paralysed life in the Valley for 61st day today while around 200 protesters were injured in clashes that broke out here.
In Srinagar, curfew like restrictions continued in downtown areas falling under five police station areas including MR Gunj, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Khanyar and Safa Kadal.
Security forces were heavily deployed in other parts of Srinagar to foil any protests. There was increased movement of private traffic vehicles and pedestrians in civil lines areas but all the shops, commercial establishments, schools and colleges remained closed. However, shops opened in the evening at Lal Chowk and its adjacent areas.
The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained disrupted while mobile internet and pre-paid mobile services continue to remain suspended for 61st day today. Seventy five people including two cops were killed and over 10,000 were injured in the violence that broke out after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Reports of clashes were received from several areas of Old City and Batamaloo this evening. Police fired teargas and stun grenades. In the day, massive protests at Padshahi Bagh area of Srinagar against arrest of six stone pelters during nocturnal raid by security forces and ransacking of houses.
A major protest was staged by people at Burzahama on city outskirts. Three women were injured when clashes between locals and security forces erupted in Fatehpora area of Ganderbal district in central Kashmir.
Security forces today foiled a protest rally at Mirhama-Matargam village in the district Kulgam by firing teargas and pellets on stone throwing mob. At least 20 protesters were injured in the clashes. The clashes in the area continued for several hours and also spread to nearby areas.
A school, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, was gutted after a teargas shell landed inside the school at Mirhama village of the Kulgam district. Reports said that the incident occurred during clashes while a school ambulance also caught fire. Police, however, said that the school was set ablaze by ‘miscreants’.
Residents said that a man, Abdul Gani Wani, 70, died of cardiac arrest at Chawalgam in Kulgam after a teargas shell fell near his house. Reports said that a shell landed near Wani and exploded with a big bang, resulting in his death due to cardiac arrest. The death triggered more protests in the area.
At Pulwama, over 100 persons were injured as forces tried to foil a rally at Murran area of the district. Security forces fired pellets, teargas and pepper shells to disrupt the rally.
Dozens of protesters were injured when security forces intercepted a rally at Bewora village of Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag. Reports said the security forces fired teargas at the protesters and the clashes continued for several hours.
Reports of rallies and protests were also received from north Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that the overall situation remained under control, barring some stray stone pelting incidents in Valley.
“Four incidents of stone pelting were reported from Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Kupwara,” said the spokesman, adding at these places, miscreants assembled on the roads and attempted to disturb the normal traffic and movement of people by pelting stones on vehicles, police and security force deployments.
He said in Kulgam about 300 miscreants assembled at Mirhama and pelted stones on police and security force deployments and set ablaze Jawahar Navodaya Vidyala School which suffered damages.
“Miscreants also hurled a petrol bomb on State Rest House, Chawalgam which resulted in fire and partial damages to the rest house,” he said and added that the miscreants also pelted stones on the police and security forces at this place.
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