* Minister’s car stoned, 3 injured in firing
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 12: Police registered a case against a unit of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for excessive use of force while curfew continued for fourth consecutive day today in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir valley.
Police registered case in Police Station Dangiwacha against 92 Battalion CRPF for firing on protesters in North Kashmir’s Watergam village on Sunday in which one protester was killed and 4 others were injured.
Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, G A Khawaja said that an FIR (No 8 of 2013 under Section 147, 148, 302) has been registered in Watergam firing incident. Two CRPF persons have been detained for questioning.
Sources said that the FIR was lodged on the basis of a report submitted by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sopore, Hanif Balkhi. The officer has held that the CRPF personnel used excessive force while dealing with a minor stone-pelting incident.
Balkhi, in his report, has said that the security forces could have resorted to baton charge to bring the situation under control. The sources said the Executive Magistrate has maintained that there was no permission given to the CRPF personnel for opening firing on the protesters.
One youth, Ubaid Mushtaq, was killed while four others were injured in security forces firing on Sunday in Watergam village of Baramulla district. Security forces came under stone pelting and they fired back resulting in one death and 4 injuries.
Meanwhile, curfew continued in Kashmir valley and there were isolated incident of stone throwing and protests at several places across Kashmir in which around one dozen persons including police men were injured.
Authorities relaxed curfew in some less sensitive areas of Kashmir valley this evening where people ventured out to replenish the essential supplies. Curfew was relaxed in Ram Munshi Bagh, Raj Bagh, Saddar, Kothibagh and Sherghari Police Stations areas of Srinagar from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. However, people in most of these areas were not aware that the curfew has been relaxed. Curfew was also relaxed in many parts of Kupwara between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and in Budgam between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
There were reports of fresh clashes from several parts of North Kashmir’s Old town Baramulla, Khanpora, Sheeri, Kralteng, Muslim, Ashpeer, Hathishah and several other parts of Baramulla district in which 4 persons were injured. Reports said that protesters also threw stones at Health Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din’s motorcade who was touring the district. The security forces allegedly fired and three persons were injured. Two of them, Abid and Tariq Ahmad, were admitted to SKIMS Soura for treatment.
Reports of isolated stone pelting and clashes were also reported from Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and Srinagar. Police charged batons and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters at these places.
Four persons including the two police men were injured in clashes between Police and CRPF and protesters in Kangan area of central Kashmir district Ganderbal. Police charged batons and fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters. The two injured police men have been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad and Ishtiaq Ahmad while two protesters are Aftab Hussain and Khursheed Ahmad Mir.
Reports from the City hospitals are grim as doctors and para-medical staff failed to reach the hospital due to curfew. According to figures around 1500 people visit SMHS Hospital for treatment every day. “For the past 4 days hardly 100 people per day visited here for treatment”, the hospital figures revealed.
Hundreds of doctors and para-medical staff work in the SMHS Hospital but hardly 20 per cent of the staff managed to reach the hospital. “We send ambulance to get doctors and para-medics to the hospital as security forces don’t allow medical staff to travel in their own cars. But the number of ambulances are less so whatever staff they can manage to carry we get it here”, said a senior official at SMHS Hospital.
As part of curbs, the Cable television news and mobile internet connectivity remained suspended in summer capital Srinagar, and the service providers are silent over suspension of the services. The local newspapers were not published for third consecutive day today due to curfew.
The ATMs of the various banks across Kashmir valley are non-functional. People are without any cash as ATMs are not functioning and banks are also closed.
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