Srinagar, June 30: Massive protests were held in many areas of old Srinagar city on Wednesday evening against the continued killings across the Valley.
 The protests started after large contingents of troopers and police deployed in strength to enforce curfew in the old city were withdrawn in the evening. Hundreds of people including women and children rushed out of their houses in Rajouri Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Maharaj Gunj and its adjoining areas after announcement were made through load speakers of local masjids.
 Shouting anti-Government and pro-freedom slogans, the protesters marched through many areas and pelted stones on troopers near Maharaj Gunj Police Station.
 “The troopers shouting ‘CRPF Zindabad,’ fired teargas canisters and several rounds in air. However, the protesters offered stiff resistance and fought pitched battles with the troopers,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.
 At Gojwara Chowk, the protesters burnt effigies of various mainstream leaders.
 Reports said the troopers smashed windowpanes of residential houses and a masjid in Dalal Mohalla. The incident triggered massive protests with the locals taking out a procession.
 The Superintendent of Police, North, Showket Hussain, said some youth pelted stones on troopers and policemen while they were retreating at Kalhamdanpora, Karfali Mohalla and adjoining areas.  
 “However, the cops and troopers exercised utmost restraint. Later the protesters dispersed off peacefully. While the troopers and cops retreat to their respective camps, the miscreant take advantage of the situation and resort to stone pelting,” the SP said. 
 Protests were going on in many areas till filing of this report at 9.45 pm.  
 During the day, authorities had imposed strict curfew in the old city to quell protests against the killings. In view of apprehensions of protests, heavy contingent of troopers and police was deployed across the city.
 Police had blocked all the roads leading to the old city by placing spools of concertina wires and barricades. Most of the areas including Khanyar, Rainawari, Maharaja Gunj, Nowhatta, and Rajouri Kadal wore a deserted look.
 Though there was no announcement of curfew, strict measures confined the people to their homes. Reports said many persons were detained by troopers at Zadibal and its adjoining areas after they ventured out to purchase essential items. 
 Despite tough restrictions, hundreds of people took to streets at Natipora, Batamaloo, Barzulla and pelted stones on police. However, police swung into action and fired dozens of teargas canisters forcing the protesters to disperse.
 However no injuries were reported in the incidents.
 Protests erupted in Mirjapora near Eidgah after the troopers of paramilitary CRPF allegedly ransacked many houses there. The locals told Greater Kashmir that the troopers chased a group of youth without any provocation and barged into residential houses.
 “The troopers severely thrashed the inmates including women besides damaging the household goods and smashed windowpanes. It is sheer harassment,” the aggrieved residents said.
 Later, shouting anti-CRPF slogans, the residents staged demonstrations demanding action against the erring troopers. 
 The Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Aashiq Bukhari, said the situation remained comparatively peaceful today. “We had deployed additional forces across the city. Baring some isolated incidents, the situation remained under control,” the SSP said.

SHORTAGE OF ESSENTIALS IN CURFEWED SOPUR:
 The Sopur town continues to reel under curfew for sixth continuous day, while as army staged a flag march in Varmul town on Wednesday.
 Thousands of paramilitary CRPF troopers and policemen have been deployed in nook and corner of Sopur town since Friday evening to thwart the demonstrations against the killings of youth.
 The administration imposed curfew in the apple town Friday evening after paramilitary CRPF troopers killed two youth, Shakeel Ahmed and Firdous Ahmed.
 The CRPF troopers killed two more youth, Bilal Ahmed Wani and Tajamul Bashir Bhat, on Sunday and Monday respectively in the town.
 The residents of Sopur told Greater Kashmir over phone that they have been caged in their houses for past six days.
 “We are facing scarcity of eatables and other essentials and even water is not available in our house. The police is deployed on doors of houses. They have asked us to stay indoors. We couldn’t even take our ailing children to hospitals,” they said.
 Scores of youth defied curfew at Arampora this afternoon and staged demonstrations, demanding punishment to erring CRPF personnel.
 Protests were also held in several other areas of the town, but police used force to quell the demonstrations.

ALTAF BABA REPORTS FROM VARMUL:
 Army staged a flag march in old town and civil lines area of Varmul to bring the situation under control.
 Deputy Commissioner Varmul, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, had requested Army to conduct flag march in Varmul and Sopur on Saturday evening.
 However, fierce clashes broke out in the afternoon in Azadgunj and Khanpora areas of the town with hundreds of youth staging massive demonstrations.
 The police fired teargas canisters and resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesters.
 The people also staged protest demonstrations at Kreeri Pattan and clashed with cops and CRPF troopers in the area.

TARIQ MIR REPORTS FROM BANDIPORA:
 Protests were also held in Hajin and Naidkhai Sumbal areas of Bandipora district to protest against the killings of youth. Residents of ward number 2, 3 and 4 of Bandipora town accused CRPF troopers of unleashing reign of terror in the area.
 “They are beating up civilians without any provocation. They barged into our houses and ransacked our household items,” locals alleged.

SHAHID RAFIQ REPORTS FROM KUPWARA:
 Protests also broke out in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district against the killings of youth, despite severe restrictions.
 According to reports protests were held in Kralpora, Trehgam, Tarathpora, Vilgam, Pazipora, Handwara and Lolab areas of the district.

SHIEKH NAZIR ADDS FROM GANDERBAL:
 Complete shutdown was observed in Ganderbal and Kangan areas of this district on Wednesday. The police and troopers had been deployed in strength in district to thwart the demonstrations against the killings of youth in the valley.

POLICE VERSION:
 “Situation in the valley remained largely peaceful barring stray incidents of stone pelting by miscreants in which three CRPF jawans and one police officer were injured,” a police spokesman said.
 “Incidents of stone pelting were reported from Batmaloo and Omarabad in Srinagar, Ompura and Galwanpora in Budgam, Delina in Baramulla and Mattan, Sangam, Bijbehara in Anantnag. Police and CRPF exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the pelters and brought the situation under control. A shopkeeper received head injuries when he was beaten by some miscreants who objected to his opening of his shop in Batmaloo area. He was treated at Police Hospital Srinagar,” the spokesman said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST