Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 22: Police today arrested 57 persons on charges of stone pelting and creating trouble in Kashmir while curfew in parts of Srinagar, restrictions and shutdown paralysed life in Valley.
Curfew remained in force in parts of Srinagar today with Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrolling the streets, which had blocked the main roads with concertina wire and stationed mobile bunkers at various places in these areas to prevent violence. However, in rest of the Valley, there was no curfew but restrictions at many places.
The shops, business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed and traffic was off the roads. However, some private vehicles were plying in Civil Lines area of Srinagar. The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained suspended since July 9. The mobile internet and pre-paid mobile services remained suspended.
According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, the overall situation remained under control across the Valley.
“There was no curfew in the Valley except in Anantnag town and the areas falling under three police stations of Srinagar city,” the statement said.
It said 57 individuals found involved in creating disruption in traffic movement, opening of shops as also damaging public, private property were arrested.
Stone-throwing clashes were reported at Habba Kadal and Fateh Kadal areas of Old Srinagar during which security forces used teargas and pepper gas against the protesters.
In the evening, stone-pelting clashes erupted at Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal, Zaldagar, Gojwara and few other areas of Old City. Clashes erupted after security force contingents were withdrawn from the old city areas. Police fired teargas and pepper grenades against the protesters.
Clashes erupted at Gugloosa and Trehgam villages of Kupwara district, Balsoo village of Kulgam district and in Shopian town. At Pulwama villages, the protesters enforcing shutdown resorted to stone-pelting on private vehicles.
The violent stone-throwing clashes also erupted at Khanpora in Baramulla district after police arrested one Fayaz Kumar from the area. Police responded by firing teargas towards the rock-throwing protesters. The clashes continued for several hours but no one was reported to have sustained injuries.
Clashes erupted between youth and forces in Bijbehara area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district while scores of vehicles were damaged by the youth in the area.
The youth took to streets and ransacked windowpanes of vehicles and started pelting stones on forces at Goriwan area. Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the youth.
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