Srinagar, Oct 30: The Valley remained shut due to the Hurriyat call for strike on Saturday even as police imposed curfew in three towns of North Kashmir. Protests rocked several areas of the Valley with forces opening fire in Bandipora and Srinagar.
Curfew was imposed in Delina and Palhallan areas of Baramulla district as police said there were apprehensions of law and order problems. Curfew also remained imposed in the Bandipora town.
Locals said police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers made announcements asking people not to venture out of their homes. Delina and Palhallan areas have been placed under curfew most of the times during the past two months while Bandipora has been under constant curfew since October 25, when anti-government protests turned violent at Gram Sabha rally in the town.
People defied curfew and staged protests in Nowpora, Ward 1, of Bandipora when CRPF troopers allegedly beat up a nine-year-old boy, Shakir Ahmed, who was on his way to school. CRPF men resorted to tear smoke shelling and used pellet guns to disperse the protesters. Three persons sustained injuries during the clashes.
In the evening, people held protests in main town. They pelted forces with stones. The forces fired dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the protesting youth. People have sought the released of a youth, Ashiq Ahmad Shehri, who was arrested a few days back.
Family members of the detained youth complained that they are not being allowed to meet their ward and alleged he was tortured in police lockup.
In the summer capital, the situation remained peaceful. Shops and businesses remained closed while the public transport also remained suspended. Private vehicles plied normally in many areas of the city. Police said no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
However, protests erupted in downtown Nowhatta, Gojwara, Rajouri Kadal and Eidgah localities in the morning. Youth staged protests and pelted stones on vehicles. Police and CRPF troopers swung into action and chased away the protesters by caning them.
While chasing away protesters, locals of Nowhatta and Gojwara alleged, police barged into many residential houses and dragged out youth. They allegedly police beat up pedestrians and harassed motorcycle borne people who passed through the localities.
Late in the evening, police opened fire in Chotta Bazar to scare away people who protested and resisted the arrest of youth during a police raid.
Witnesses said locals raised a hue and cry after police attempted to raid several residential areas. “People raised pro-freedom slogans and pelted policemen with stones. They beat the retreat and fired several shots in air, triggering panic,” they said.
No one was injured in the incident.
A police spokesman, however, said police had to fire tear smoke shells at Chotta Bazar as forces were pelted with stones during the withdrawal in the evening.
Meanwhile, reports from south Kashmir towns of Pulwama, Shopian, Islamabad (Anantnag) and Kulgam said the towns remained shut. In Pulwama, protests broke out at Samboora and Nayena areas of the district.
Thousands of people took to streets and staged protests when police beat two youths ruthlessly. Youth pelted stones at the motorcade of NC Provincial President, Ali Muhammad Dar, at Samboora on Saturday evening.
Police today claimed to have arrested an alleged timber smuggler, Nazir Ahmad Lone, allegedly involved in instigating stone pelting in several areas of Shopian district.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 30 Oct 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:00:00 IST