Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 21: Curfew in parts of Srinagar and shut in rest of the Valley paralysed life in Kashmir while a youth died in Nasrullahpora area of Budgam district during clashes and police arrested 72 people on charges of stone pelting and creating trouble.
Junaid Ahmad Mir, son of Fateh Mir, of Nasrullahpora village in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district collapsed when a teargas shell fired by police exploded in front of him. He fell unconscious and was rushed to SKIMS hospital in Bemina area of Srinagar where he expired.
Mir’s death triggered more protests in Nasrullahpora and police fired teargas to foil protests.
A police spokesman said: “Today afternoon one person namely Junaid Ahmad Mir son of Fateh Mir resident of Nasrullahpora Budgam was brought to JVC Bemina, Srinagar where the doctors declared him as brought dead. As per doctors prima facie he has died of cardiac arrest as there are no marks of any injury on his body.”
In Srinagar, authorities imposed curfew in five Police Station areas of Srinagar including MR Gunj, Rainawari, Safa Kadal, Khanyar and Nowhatta and hundreds of Police and CRPF men remained deployed. The areas like Habba Kadal and Maisuma were also under restrictions to prevent protests.
Shops, commercial establishments and educational institutes remained closed in Kashmir today. The Public transport remained off the roads. However, some private vehicles were plying. The train services between Banihal and Baramulla and mobile internet remained suspended.
The Friday prayers were disallowed for the 15th consecutive Friday at Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar. The security force personnel were deployed at Nowhatta and in adjoining areas to prevent violence.
Protest and clashes erupted at scores of places in Kashmir valley during which police fired teargas, pepper gas and pellets to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to over a dozen people. Barzulla, Rawalpora, Sabzi Mandi Soura, Bagh-e-Mehtab and Pamposh Colony Noorbagh witnessed massive protests and clashes after Friday prayers.
At Barzulla, several youth were arrested by police during clashes. In the evening, clashes also erupted in many areas of Old City including Nowhatta and Gojwara.
A petrol bomb was hurled at Tata Winger vehicle in Ali Masjid area of Srinagar this evening. The locals immediately doused the flames. However, vehicle suffered damage.
Restrictions were also imposed in other major towns of Central, South and North Kashmir. Protests after Friday prayers erupted in all other districts of Valley. Reports of clashes poured in from Newa, Tahab, Koil, Dallipora in Pulwama, Sopore, Palhalan and Old Town in Baramulla, Bandipora, Kangan in Ganderbal and in Anantnag districts. Several protesters were injured during these clashes.
A police spokesman said that barring a few stray incidents of stone pelting, situation across the Valley remained by and large peaceful today. “As a preventive measure restrictions were imposed in some parts of Srinagar,” he said.
Police said continuing its sustained drive against miscreants/hooligans found involved in disrupting public order in different parts of the Valley, it arrested 72 more such people during past 24 hours.
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