Srinagar: Severe restrictions remained in place in twin districts of Srinagar and Baramulla for the second consecutive day Thursday to thwart the sit-in demonstrations called by Geelani led Hurriyat Conference in its ongoing ‘Quit Kashmir’ campaign.
Press Bureau of India correspondent from North Kashmir said that like yesterday, CRPF troops and police were heavily deployed in Baramulla district to scuttle the sit-in demonstrations called by Hurriyat Conference. Carrying sophisticated weapons and riot gear, troops and police manned roads, streets, lanes and by lanes of the town to restrict the civilian movement. All the vital road links and Bridges connecting the volatile old town with rest of the district were cut off by forces by placing barricades and spools of barbed wire.
Despite restrictions, protests and clashes were witnessed in many area of the district.
Early morning, hundreds of men, women and children took to streets at main chowk Palhalan and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations. Chanting slogans, the protesters alleged that the forces last evening barged into dozens of residential houses, beat the inmates and ransacked the house hold items.
In the neighboring Tapper area, hundreds of people staged demonstrations to protest the arrest of a youth identified as Ghulam Qadir Para on the charges of stone pelting. The protesters shouting slogans were demanding immediate release of the youth.
In old town, groups of youth appeared on the Cement Bridge and staged demonstrations. Besides raising slogans, the protesting youth pelted rocks and stones on the CRPF men and police that were heavily deployed in the area. The ding-ding battles between the forces and the protesters continued for some time. However, no reports of any injuries were received.
In Sambura area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Army opened several shots in air after their convoy was stoned by protesters this morning. The firing created panic forcing the people to run towards the safer places.
In Srinagar, restrictions were put in place to foil Hurriyat Conference (G) called sit-in demonstrations.
Thousands of CRPF troops and Police maintained a tight vigil in the old city of Srinagar to scuttle any move of the people to stage pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations. All the roads leading to the old city were sealed by forces with razor wire and barricades. However, several areas of the uptown were free of the restrictions.
Despite restrictions, protests and clashes broke out in several parts of city.
Reports said groups of youth appeared on roads in Chanpora, Natipora, Nowgam and other areas of the city and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations. Chanting “We want freedom,” “Islam Zindabad,” “Salam-O-Martyrs,” the protesters clashed with the forces.
Troops and police allegedly went berserk in Saida Kadal area of the old city after groups of youth appeared on the streets and enforced shutdown in the area. The forces thrashed pedestrians and smashed the window panes of several residential houses after they failed to chase away the stone pelting youth.
After the incident, troops forced the passer byers to erect barricades on the road to restrict the movement of people.
“Dozens of CRPF men appeared in the locality and thrashed the people. They also smashed window panes of dozens of houses,” Ejaz Ahmad, a resident of Khwajayarbal said.
However, police denied the allegations.
Station House Officer (SHO) Rainawari, Raja Tasleem said that the allegations leveled against the troops and police were baseless.
Meanwhile, restrictions coupled with Hurriyat called strike crippled normal life for the second consecutive day today in Srinagar and other major towns and districts of the Valley. All shops, offices, educational institutes, banks, petrol pumps, business establishments and government offices remained closed throughout the day. Skeletal transport, however, plied on the other wise busy roads and highways of the summer capital. (PBI)
