Srinagar, Sept 4: Entire Kashmir valley observed yet another protest shutdown on Saturday as per the program given by pro-freedom conglomerate Hurriyat Conference (G). Today the ongoing unrest entered 85th day of almost continued shutdown during which 65 persons, mainly youth and children, have been killed by police and para-military CRPF since June 11 while dispersing pro-freedom protests.
No curfew or restrictions were in place in the summer capital here or elsewhere, first time since the unrest broke out. However protests erupted in several downtown localities here, two youth were injured in police action.
In view of the strike, shops, businesses, banks, offices and educational institutions remained closed across the valley. However some movement of private vehicles was witnessed all the across the city and its peripheries.
No restrictions were imposed on the civilian movement anywhere. However, police and CRPF remained deployed heavily on the streets.
Early in the morning pro-freedom protests broke out in several localities of downtown including Khanyar, Saraf Kadal and Bohri Kadal.
The protesters pelted police and CRPF with stones who responded by caning them. At Bohri Kadal, forces resorted to firing tear smoke shells and rubber bullets on the protesters to disperse them injuring two persons.
They were identified as Shabir Ahmad Sheikh of Rainawari and Abrar Ahmad Malik of Nawa Kadal. They were shifted to hospital.
Protests broke out in Parimpora in city outskirts after police arrested three youth from the locality.
Eyewitnesses said that the arrested youth were playing carom on roadside when police picked them up.
“Some unknown person pelted stones on a police vehicle but police arrested the carom-playing youth,” said the locals.
The arrested youth were identified as Arif Ahmad, Waseem Ahmad and Deedar—all residents of Parimpora.
At Namblabal, Pampore, on Sringar-Jammu highway, five persons were injured in police action against protesters. Police caned protesters and lobbed teargas shells.
At Samboora on Srinagar-Pulwama road, hundreds of people from adjoining areas took to roads and staged protests and chanted pro-freedom slogans. They blocked the highway and demanded the release of youth arrested by police during the past two months.
Late in the evening, protests broke out at several localities of the old town Islamabad where youth engaged forces in ding-dong clashes.

IKHWANIS ABDUCT YOUTH IN HANDWARA:
Assassination bid on a youth allegedly by Ikhwanis or pro-Government gunmen set off massive protests in Vilgam area of North Kashmir’s Handwara town on Saturday, PBI reported.
Reports said men, women and children of Shaharkote village of Vilgam took to streets this morning and staged demonstrations against the Ikhwanis and the police. Chanting slogans, the protesters said that a renegade, Farooq Ahmad Mir of Hafrada, abducted a youth and tried to murder him Thursday night.
The protesters blocked road link connecting Vilgam with Handwara town to press their demand for stern action against Mir, who works with Army’s 6 Rashtriya Rifles.
Family sources said that Ejaz Ahmad, 22, son of Muhammad Yusuf Lone, a final year student of Government Degree College Handwara was busy in studies when armed Mir joined by his associates Muhammad Gulzar Lone, Ghulam Rasool Rather and Ghulam Muhammad Mir whisked him from his Shaharkote residence. The timely action by neighbors and family, they said, saved the life of the youth.
“We heard a knock at the door. Ejaz opened the door and started screaming. In a jiffy we rushed to the gate and found some masked gunmen whisking away my brother. We raised an alarm and our neighbors and relatives came to our rescue,” Ejaz’s brother, Abdur Rashid said.
“The villagers started searches to save Ejaz from the abductors’ clutches. When we reached near Kiyelnad School, the Ikhwanis were thrashing my brother. On seeing the villagers in huge numbers Farooq Mir and his associates fled from the spot. My brother was left in a bad shape,” he added.
Rashid said that the family and the senior citizens of the village visited police station and filed a case against Mir and his associates. However police, he said, shielded the culprits and filed case against unknown men.
“Everyone in the village knows Mir and his associates tried to assassinate my brother. My brother identified him. However, police is trying its best to save Mir,” a disgruntled Rashid said.
“A case FIR No. 45/2010 under Section 302 RPC has been registered. Further investigations are on,” a police official said.
Superintendent of Police Handwara, Rafiq Vakil, said that he was not aware of any such incident. However, he assured action against the guilty if the allegations prove true.
The situation in Varmul town remained clam during the day.
At Zaloora near Sopur, several persons were injured after being thrashed by forces during a pro-freedom demonstration in the afternoon.
Two persons, Abdul Waheed Lone and Altaf Ahmad Ganai were beaten by forces while the latter were chasing away protesters.
In Palhalan, scores of men, women and children staged demonstrations to protest the alleged harassment by the forces. The protesters blocked Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway for several hours demanding the release of Muhammad Akbar and his son Waseem who were arrested by police during a raid last night.
In Kupwara district, peaceful pro-freedom demonstrations were held at Yunsoo, Langate, Kralgund, Trehgam, Tujjer, Darzi Mohalla, main chowk and other areas. The demonstrations dispersed peacefully.
In Dobiwan, Tangmarg, hundreds of people staged demonstrations to protest the arrest of two youth. Forces swung into action and chased away protesters who pelted stones on them triggering clashes.
In Ganderbal, more than a dozen persons including several policemen were injured in clashes following pro-freedom protests. Police and paramilitary troopers lobbed tear gas shells and cane charged protesters near Kurhama.
The protesters tried to march towards the Srinagar-Leh highway but the police intercepted them. The protestors resorted to stone pelting on police. Seven policemen were injured, witnesses said. The ding-dong clashes continued till late evening.
Meanwhile two youth of Kurhama have been detained by police. The residents alleged that troopers of CRPF and police have let loose a reign of terror in the area and indulge in unprovoked beating of the locals.

POLICE VERSION:
A police spokesman said situation across the valley remained largely peaceful barring few stray incidents of stone pelting at Khanyar, Saraf Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Bana Mohalla, Kalamdan Pora and Karfali Mohalla in Srinagar.
“At Saraf Kadal / Bohri Kadal police used tear gas shells to disperse the mob who, however, didn’t relent. Police had to use plastic pallets in which two persons Shabir Ahmad Sheikh s/o Jalal-u-Din r/o Rainawari and Abrar Ahmad Malik s/o Azad Malik r/o Nawa Kadal received pallet injuries in their legs. They are stable,” he said.
“It was for the first time in the last two and a half months that no curfew or restriction on the movement of the people was imposed at any place in the valley,” the spokesman said.
(With PBI inputs)

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