Ajas (Bandipora), Sept 4: Hundreds of people this morning took to streets in Ajas Bandipora raising pro-freedom and anti-Ikhwan slogans. The people staged protests on Bandipora-Srinagar road and halted Army and CRPF convoys for hours.
“We are protesting against the Government for attempting to revive the renegade culture in the area. Every such attempt which can be harmful to the ongoing people’s agitation will be fought against,” said an elderly person, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, while addressing the protesters.
“This Government has used and is using some self-interested persons to kill Kashmiri people, we will never allow anybody to exploit the innocent Kashmiris,” he said.
“The ongoing movement is genuine and we pledge our support to it,” he said, as people responded by applauds.
“We appeal all Kashmiris to stand up against all such attempts which can harm the ongoing people’s agitation,” said Bhat. CRPF personnel used force on the protesters and in retaliation the people pelted stones. To quell the protests troopers resorted to aerial firing and fired several tear smoke shells.
During the day-long protests, people attacked several Army and BSF vehicles including the cavalcade of DIG BSF. Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that the windowpanes of vehicles in the cavalcade were damaged.
The Bandipora district has witnessed protests since the news broke that Government has approached some former Ikhwanis (Government-backed gunmen) to recruit youth to quell the ongoing agitation.
Sporadic protests and clashes were also reported from Bandipora town during which youth clashed with police and CRPF. People alleged that policemen severely thrashed and arrested some youth.
They said that the kidneys of one of the arrested youth have been damaged due to torture in the police station.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 4 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 4 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 5 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST