Srinagar, Aug 27: In view of a day’s break from strikes as per the Hurriyat’s protest programme, authorities lifted curfew across the Kashmir Valley barring Kupwara district on Friday. Post-prayer protests broke out at several places in Srinagar and elsewhere on which police used force, resulting in clashes leaving scores injured. In Kunzer, Tangmarg, army troopers barged into several houses and allegedly molested some women after protests in the area.
Educational institutions, banks, shops, and private and government offices opened normally while the private and public transport was back on the roads on all routes.
However, after Friday prayers protests broke out at several places including at Rajouri Kadal, Nowhatta, Soura, Ahmadnagar.
People took out processions raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. At Nowhatta and Soura, youths pelted stones on police and paramilitary CRPF troopers who attempted to contain protests.
Police later cane charged, fired tear gas shells and pellets on protesters to disperse them.
The ding-dong battles continued for several hours.

SOUTH KASHMIR:
In South Kashmir’s Shopian town, at least 50 people were injured in police and CRPF action. Two of them who received multiple pellet injuries were referred to SKIMS in a critical condition.
After the Friday prayers people in large numbers assembled outside the Jamia Masjid and carried out a massive pro-freedom procession. The protesters marched through the streets of the town. However, when the procession reached near the deputy commissioner’s office, the CRPF and policemen deployed there resorted to baton charge and intense tear gas shelling triggering clashes.
The youth offered stiff resistance and retaliated by pelting stones and bricks. Scores of people including five police personnel were injured in the clashes. The police and CRPF men later fired pellets injuring many more. The injured persons were hospitalized in the district hospital, Shopian.
Two of the critically injured persons identified as Zubair Ahmad Turray S/O Bashir Ahmad Turray and Adil Khurshid S/O Khurshid Ahmad Dalal were referred to SKIMS in a critical condition. “Zubair had sustained multiple pellet injuries in the abdomen while Khurshid had multiple pellet injuries in the chest,” said a doctor.
“Police and CRPF men then went berserk and beat up several pedestrians. They also barged into several houses, ransacked the house hold goods, beat up the inmates and smashed the window panes of the houses,” eyewitnesses said.
Clashes were going on at several places in the town including Gol Chowk, Bonibazar, Main Chowk, Tak Mohalla, Jan Mohalla and Bus Stand when reports last came in.
Reports of peaceful pro-freedom demonstrations after the Friday prayers were also received from Pulwama, Kakpora, Pampore, Awantipora and Tral towns of Pulwama district. Massive pro-freedom demonstrations also rocked Kulgam and Qaimoh towns of Kulgam district.
In Islamabad town, a massive pro-freedom demonstration was carried out from Jamia Masjid Ahlihadith and Rehat-Ded masjid Lal Chowk. Amid pro-freedom slogans the procession marched through Lal Chowk, Achabal Adda and Janglat Mandi. The protesters were also carrying placards reading “Stop genocide of Kashmiris, Plebiscite our birth right,” and “Down with state government.” Reports of protest demonstrations were also received from Bijbehara and Sangam Nainoo.

NORTH KASHMIR:
In Tangmarg, hundreds of people took out a protest procession at Kunzer after Friday prayers.
They marched on the Srinagar-Gulmarg road raising slogans. People from several areas also joined the procession and raised slogans and freedom songs from Masjid loudspeakers.
However, CRPF blocked roads and didn’t allow people to march. The protesters later pelted stones on forces who responded by caning and firing teargas shells.
The protesters re-assembled at Kunzer Chowk and raised slogans. Eyewitnesses said as CRPF failed to deal with protesters, troopers of Army’s 52 Rashtriya Rifles swung into action and chased away protesters.
They said army men barged into residential areas, ransacking the property and broke the window panes of the houses.
“Army barged into the house of Asadullah Lone of Kunzar and beat up the women in the house. They also misbehaved with them,” they said.
Protests were continuing till late in the evening when this report was filed.
Meanwhile, protests also continued at Khaipora against the murder of a teenage girl, Sameera Bhat, a few days back. The villagers demanded that the culprits be identified and brought to book.
At Iftaar time, army men barged into the residential houses at Kunzer and injured residents, allegedly molested women, looted belongings, broke glasses of windows and furniture.
Reportedly the women in the house of Assadullah Lone, numberdar Ghulam Ahmad Shiekh and Assadullah Shiekh have been molested.
Feeling helpless, Kunzer residents sought the help of neighbouring villages by making announcements on loud speakers.
Hearing this news, thousands of people from all adjoining villages thronged into Kunzer and started massive protests against the molestation of women. Till last reports came in, huge number of people were gathering in Kunzer shouting pro- freedom slogans.
In North Kashmir’s Kupwara district curfew continued to be imposed at Trehgam, Kralpora, Handwara, Chinkipora and Kulangam areas.
The authorities feared that locals might take out post-prayer protests against the killings of unarmed protesters by police and CRPF.
Heavy contingents of CRPF and police were deployed in the curfewed areas and people were not allowed to move.
Curfew was defied in Kupwara town, when forces didn’t allow people to offer prayers in Jamia Masjid Kupwara and Masjid-e-Murshadeen. People staged peaceful protests and raised pro-freedom protests.
Curfew remained in force in Trehgam town of Kupwara where Nimazees were not allowed to offer prayers in Jamia Masjid Trehgam for third consecutive Friday.
In Sopur town, pro-freedom protests broke out at Bomai after Friday prayers. Police and troopers of Rapid Action Force used force against the protesters injuring three of them.
They were identified as Shahid Muhammad, Zahid Bashir and Muhammad Shaban—all residents of Bomai.
In Varmul, massive protests broke out late on Thursday night after police picked up a youth, Wasim Ahmad Marazi, from Khawaja Bagh locality.
The people staged protests during night. Police and CRPF fired teargas shells to disperse them.
On Friday morning they again appeared on roads and staged protests on Srinagar-Varmul highway. Police dispersed them using force.
Meanwhile, the Beopar Mandal Varmul has condemned the arrest of a prominent businessman, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, from Kralhar Varmul.
A delegation of Beopar Mandal met the top police officials of the district and demanded his immediate release.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST