Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Nov 7: A youth was killed and around three dozen persons including three cops were injured in clashes that broke out soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Srinagar this afternoon.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone, has ordered magisterial inquiry into the killing of the youth and curfew like restrictions have been imposed in seven Police Station areas of Srinagar including Parimpora where the killing took place. The separatists have called for strike tomorrow against the killing.
A youth was killed as he was hit by a tear gas shell fired during protests at Zainakote area of HMT in outskirt’s of Srinagar city this evening.
Police and CRPF men belonging to 44 battalion fired teargas shells to disperse the protesters resulting in injuries to at least two persons in Zainakote area on National Highway. However, one among them was critically injured. He was referred to SKIMS hospital in Soura, Srinagar where he succumbed.
The slain youth has been identified as Gowhar Dar, 22, son of Nazir Ahmad Dar of Mustafa Abad in HMT. Dar, was an engineering student of SSM College Pattan. The family lives on one side of the National Highway and on the other side, they have Service Station. Reports said that Dar was not part of the stone pelting mob.
The chairmen of hardline and moderate factions of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq havecalled for strike tomorrow against the killing of youth. JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, has also called strike tomorrow against the killing.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the killing of Gowhar Ahmad Dar. The enquiry will be conducted by Additional Deputy Commissioner M.A. Baba.
Meanwhile, at least 30 political workers, mainly from ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were injured after stone-throwers attacked the vehicles they were boarding at more than a dozen places in Valley.
The highest number of stone-throwing attacks on political workers took place in North Kashmir. The vehicles of political workers were attacked with bricks and stones in all three districts of North Kashmir. The places where the attacks took place include Pattan, Palhallan, Singhpora, Nathpora, Seelu, Shangargund, Ajas, Sarai Dangerpora in Sumbal, Magam Chowk, Cement Bridge Baramulla and Sadarkote areas.
In city here, the political workers’ vehicles were attacked at Umerabad Zainakote, Hajj House Bemina, Mominabad Batamaloo, Darish Kadal and Jamallata in Nawakadal area. The stone-throwing attacks on rally participants also took place in Pampore, Frestabal, Samboora, Kakapora and Batengoo areas of Pulwama and Anantnag districts respectively.
Around 77 vehicles have been damaged including 52 along Srinagar-Kupwara highway. Due to attacks, 30 political workers, four of them critically, sustained injuries.
Two cops were injured at Baramulla Main Town during stone-throwing clashes between protesters and security forces. The protesters pelted stones at security forces from Cement Bridge leaving two police personnel injured. The injured policemen were immediately rushed to hospital and one of them was later referred to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. Another policeman was injured at Sadarkote Bala in Bandipora district.
Clashes between protesters and security forces also broke out at Habba Kadal in downtown and Zainkote HMT here. Police fired dozens of teargas shells to disperse the stone-throwers. Soon after the restrictions were lifted from Old City and Maisuma, groups of youth resorted to heavy stone-pelting on retreating security forces’ contingents.
To ensure peaceful conduct of Prime Minister’s rally here at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, the security arrangements across the Valley and City in particular were unprecedented. All the roads leading to the venue were sealed with barbed wires while large contingents of security forces personnel were deployed at every nook and corner. The security forces were allowing only those persons and vehicles to proceed who were carrying a valid pass issued by concerned authorities.
In view of the “Million March” called by hardline Hurriyat chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, authorities imposed restrictions in five Police Station areas of Old City and in Maisuma area of the Civil Lines. Hundreds of security forces personnel were deployed in Old City to prevent any attempt by separatists to take out a rally towards TRC.
Police detained Geelani and one of his associates when he defied house-detention order and attempted to lead a rally. The separatist leader was whisked away by police and detained in Humhama police post. A group of women protesters affiliated with radical Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) took out a rally in downtown here and attempted to march towards TRC but police immediately swung into action and detained them.
The MLA Langate, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, tried to take out a protest march from Jawahar Nagar but he was overpowered by cops and was detained at Police Station Rajbagh.
Elsewhere in Valley, there was shutdown while residents preferred to stay indoors. All the shops, commercial establishments, educational institutes, banks, petrol pumps and offices were closed while all modes of transport were off the roads. All the Kashmir University exams scheduled for today were already postponed by the varsity. The traffic on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway also remained suspended while Banihal-Baramulla services remained suspended for the second straight day.
Police, meanwhile, arrested eight stone-throwers in Pampore immediately after attacks on vehicles of political workers and booked them under attempt to murder charges.
An official said the arrested persons hail from Pampore and have been lodged in Police Station Pampore. “A case under FIR number 169/2015 under Sections 307, 336, 147, 148, 427 and 323 RPC has been registered against them,” he added.
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