Srinagar, June 29: Anger against the unabated killings by paramilitary CRPF continues to grow with each day. Widespread protests broke out across Kashmir on Tuesday despite an undeclared curfew being imposed in parts of Srinagar, Varmul and Sopur.
The old Srinagar city was under siege for the day. Heavy deployment of police and CRPF, armed with batons and wearing riot gears, was made in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of several police stations including Khanyar, Rainawari, Safa Kadal, Maharaj Gunj, Nowhatta, Soura.
Police restricted residents to their homes. In several localities, people who came out on streets were roughed up. However, young boys at several places came out on roads and staged protests. Clashes erupted at Rainawari, Rajouri Kadal, Nawab Bazar, Sekidafar, Safa Kadal, Chattabal, Kawdara, Nawa Kadal and several other localities in old city as CRPF cane charged the youth, who responded by hurling stones.
Widespread protests broke out in uptown localities of Chanapora, Machoo, Bagh-e-Mehtab, Natipora, Barthana, Bemina, HMT, Batmaloo, Parimpora, Ram Bagh, Solina, Tulsi Bagh and Shivpora. The motley groups of youth blocked roads by burning tyres and placing boulders at several spots. They engaged forces in ding-dong battles through out the day.
The protests also erupted in the posh Hyderpora area and inner areas of Galwanpora and Sheshgari Bagh.
Witnesses said CRPF picked up four motor-cycle borne youth from Hyderpora in the evening. They were bundled into a gypsy and taken to unknown place.
In many downtown localities, people protested in Masjids using loud speakers, especially in the evening, shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. Processions were carried out in the evening.
Residents of Tengpora by-pass said while protests were going on the area, CRPF men beat up civilians and snapped power connections of several residential houses.
At Nawab Bazar, CRPF men ran amuck and beat up people who were sitting on shop fronts in lanes and by lanes in the area. Locals said troops also entered into residential houses and beat up inmates including women and children. The protests only intensified after the incident.

CRPF OPENS FIRE ON AMBULANCE:
Paramilitary forces fired at an ambulance, JK01-2913, of SMHS hospital which was shifting an injured person to SKIMS. The incident took place near Sekidafar, Safakadal when protests were going on in the area. The doctors had a narrow escape in the incident, Dr Wasim Qureshi, Medical Superintendent, SMHS hospital said.
Doctors on duty at the maternity L D Hospital here said that they were flooded with the calls from old city localities as people asked for ambulances.
“CRPF did not allow people in old city to shift pregnant ladies to hospital. People called us throughout the day asking for ambulances,” doctors at L D hospital said.
The Government Medical College Principal, Dr Shahida Mir, while terming the incident as unfortunate said Dr Yaqoob and the ambulance driver Ghulam Muhammad had a narrow escape as the CRPF men resorted to unprovoked firing. “The CRPF men also hurled abuses on doctors traveling in other ambulances,” Dr Shahida said. She said the doctors working in associated hospitals of GMC were apprehensive after the incident.

NORTH KASHMIR:
North Kashmir continues to be tense over the deaths of five young boys in the past one week.
Curfew continued in Sopur town for fifth consecutive day today to prevent people from holding pro-freedom demonstrations.
The town is under curfew since Friday evening after CRPF troopers killed Shakeel Ahmed and Firdous Ahmed in firing. Two more persons were killed in town on Sunday and Monday.
After the deployment was lifted in evening, hundreds of youth took to streets raising pro-freedom slogans and pelted stones on the retreating cops and troopers.
“They fired teargas canisters and resorted to baton charging to disperse the protesters which led to fierce clashes,” sources said.
Several people were wounded in fierce clashes which were going on till late evening in the town.
Reeling under intense curfew since Friday evening, the residents of town are facing shortage of essential commodities.
In Varmul town people protested at Azad Gunj Bridge, Transport Yard Bridge and Cement Bridge. Young boys engaged groups of police and CRPF personnel in ding-dong clashes throughout day. Police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse protesters.
A boy, Junaid-ul-Islam son of Abdul Rashid Rather of Adoora, was injured after he was hit by a rubber bullet. He was shifted to a Srinagar hospital for treatment. A policeman and two CRPF men were also injured in the clashes.
Protests also broke out in Khawaja Bagh and Delina, where a 9-year-old boy was killed by CRPF on Monday.
Police fired dozens of teargas canisters and cane charged protesters in Rafiabad, when they tried to march towards Sopur town from fruit mandi.
Witnesses said that thousands of people from Ladoora, Achabal, Doabgah and Vijibal raising pro-freedom slogans tried to proceed towards Sopur to express solidarity with the people there.
“The police used force and resorted to indiscriminate teargas shelling to prevent people from marching ahead,” they said.
In Kupwara, hundreds took to streets raising anti-government slogans and attempted to march towards Sopur. Police and paramilitary deployed thwarted their attempts by firing teargas canisters and baton charging people.
In Bandipora district, at least three persons, including two minors, were wounded when police and paramilitary CRPF troopers used force to quell demonstrations. People protested at Kralpora, Hari, Batergam, Tikar and Lolab.
At least 14 persons were injured in the day long protests.
Scores of people took to the streets in main Bandipore town, Sumbal, Nadihal, Gamoora and Papchan, demanding stern punishment for the paramilitary CRPF troopers involved in the killings of four youth. However, police and CRPF men resorted to baton charge and fired numerous tear smoke canisters to disperse the protesters. In the police action at least three persons including two minors were wounded.
In Ganderbal, angry youth protested against killings at several places including Fatehpora, Beehama, and Nagbal chowk.
At Beehama, women carried out a pro-freedom procession and protested on roads.
Reports of shutdown, restrictions and protests poured in from districts and towns of Pampore, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam.
Police used force to quell protests at Khudwani, Kulgam. Police also detained nearly 20 youth for taking part in protests. (With inputs from Altaf Baba)

Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST