Srinagar, June 13: Srinagar observed a complete shutdown amidst undeclared curfew in old city for the second consecutive day Sunday against the killing of 17-year old Tufail Ahmed Matoo in police action in Rajouri Kadal on Friday. Youth defied restrictions at many places and fought pitched battles with police and paramilitary CRPF troopers. In the day-long clashes at least 15 persons were wounded.
 Authorities imposed undeclared curfew in the volatile old city areas falling under police stations Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Maharajgunj and Safa Kadal. Despite restrictions and heavy deployment of police, youth took to the streets in several parts of the old city and staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
 Police resorted to baton charge and fired numerous tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters who offered stiff resistance and retaliated with stones triggering clashes that continued till late in the evening.
 Uptown areas, including the city centre, Lal Chowk, observed a complete shutdown while protests erupted in Bemina, Tengpora, Batamaloo, and other civil line areas.
 Youth protested the killing and barricaded the roads by placing boulders and burning tyres. At several junctions in Bemina and Batamaloo, police tried to chase away protesters but they repeatedly regrouped and pelted stones on policemen.
 Meanwhile the condition of SafaKadal youth, Muhammad Rafiq Bangroo, who was allegedly beaten by paramilitary CRPF troopers near his residence on Saturday, continued to be critical.
 “His condition is certainly not improving. We are going to operate on him today,” doctors attending him told Greater Kashmir.
 Bangroo, they said, had sustained severe head injuries and had multiple contusions in his brain.
 The city roads wore a deserted look. Shops and business establishments remained closed while traffic was off the roads.
CRPF men go berserk
Residents of several city areas on Sunday accused paramilitary CRPF troopers of going berserk and beating up civilians without any provocation.
“At Rainawari, police and CRPF men roughed up a group of youth who were playing on a roadside, injuring three of them,” witnesses said.
Residents from Nawa Kadal, Safa Kadal and Batamaloo localities alleged that CRPF men beat them up without any provocation. “They also pelted stones on residential houses and smashed window panes,” residents of Tarabal told Greater Kashmir over phone.
 The troopers also damaged cars and buses parked on the roadsides in the area.
 The inhabitants of Rainawari and Saidakadal said that police and CRPF were not allowing them come out of their homes.
 Witnesses said police barred friends and relatives from visiting the family of Tufail at Saidakadal

Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST