TROOPS GO BERSERK, OVER 100 WOUNDED; PROTESTS THROUGHOUT VALLEY

19 INJURED IN CRPF FIRING

Greater Kashmir September 9

TROOPS GO BERSERK, OVER 100 WOUNDED; PROTESTS THROUGHOUT VALLEY

ARIF SHAFI WANI /GOWHAR BHAT


Srinagar, Sep 8: The protests against a youth’s killing were responded with brute force on Monday when troopers of paramilitary CRPF thrashed people irrespective of age and fired indiscriminately on people at Nowhatta, Safa Kadal, Bagh-e-Mehtab and Varmul, wounding over hundred persons. At least 19 persons sustained bullet injuries. The incidents triggered massive demonstrations in various parts of the city with people demanding action against the accused troopers.



NOWHATTA MAYHEM
At least 30 persons, four of them critically, were injured when the troopers of CRPF went berserk and opened fire on a group of people at Nowhatta Monday evening.
“We were offering Asar prayers when cops smashed the window panes of the masjid. We rushed out and asked the cops reason for attacking the masjid. However, the cops asked the CRPF men accompanying them to open fire. They aimed their guns towards us and opened fire. There were screams and blood all around…,” the witnesses said.
They said four persons, one of them identified as Tariq Ahmad Shah son of Muhammad Sidiq Shah of Saidapora sustained bullet injuries in the shootout.
“As Tariq, who was hit by a bullet on his neck, was writhing in pain, the troopers continued to hit him with rifles butts. They tried to drag his body towards the police station,” witnesses said.
Earlier, Nowhatta turned into a battleground when hundreds of youth shouting pro-freedom slogans attacked the police station there with stones. Demanding action against the police officer who killed Javid Ahmad Bhat yesterday, the protesters engaged the troopers in ding dong battles throughout the day.
However, when the protesters reached near the police station, the CRPF troopers went on rampage firing dozens of rounds to disperse the mob. Eyewitness said after the protests, the troopers caught hold of many youth including kids and severely thrashed them. The pitched battles were going on in the area when reports last came in.



BATTLEGROUND SAFA KADAL
Two persons were injured when the security guards of Dr Jalaluddin, who heads the cardiology department of SK Institute of Medical Sciences, opened fire to disperse the protesters who intercepted his vehicle near Sekidafar Chowk. “On seeing a huge mob approaching towards the vehicle. Dr Jalal’s PSOs opened fire injuring two persons,” eye witnesses said.
Meanwhile, violent clashes took place between protesters and police at Safa Kadal and its adjoining areas, including Zampa Kadal, Chattabal, Kak Sarai and Karan Nagar. However when a large contingent of CRPF reached the spot they resorted to firing and fired several tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters. Dozens of people were injured in the incident.
The inhabitants of Sekidafar in Safa Kadal locality accused that the CRPF troopers of beat many people without any provocation. “Soon after the morning prayers, the troopers barged into our houses and smashed the window panes,” the locals alleged.
They said the CRPF troopers barged into a masjid in the area and ruthlessly beat up the Imam, Ajaz Ahmad. He sustained head injuries and was later shifted to SKIMS.
Soon after the incident, angry youth took to streets to protests the troopers’ atrocities. Shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, they staged protest demonstration and blocked the roads and fought pitched battles with the CRPF troopers. The troopers opened fire injuring one youth, Abid Ahmad, who received a bullet in his left arm.
The troopers thrashed many locals when they were collecting food grains from a ration depot in the area. In the onslaught, the store in charge of the Safa Kadal ration depot, Muhammad Yousuf and a shopkeeper Imtiyaz Ahmad were also injured.
Reports said later in the evening, the troopers of CRPF barged into several house at Ganderpora, Zadi Masjid and Nowpora areas of Seki Dafar and thrashed the inmates.



FIRING AT BAGH-E-MEHTAB
At least four persons were injured, one of them critically, after CRPF troopers opened fire on protestors at Bagh-e-Mehtab on city outskirts Monday evening. Witnesses said that some protestors pelted stones on a CRPF gypsy near the railway bridge in the area after which the troopers opened fire on the protestors. The injured were later shifted to hospital. One of the injured was identified as Ashraf Ahmed son of Ghulam Muhammad of Machow.



DISTRICTS TOO ON BOIL
Altaf Baba reports from Varmul: At least 25 persons were injured, 10 of them critically, when police and paramilitary forces opened fire on protestors in Varmul chowk. Five of the critically injured have been shifted to Srinagar.
In Varmul chowk, police baton charged youth and fire teargas canisters to disperse the protesters. Ten persons sustained bullet injuries when troopers opened fire on protesters near Cement Bridge here.
Rampaging CRPF personnel also ransacked the X-ray plant of district hospital, Varmul, which led the hospital authorities to lock the plant. Meanwhile, scores of people were injured by police throughout the day.
Khalid Gul reports from Islamabad: At least seven persons were seriously injured after police used force on protestors. More than 150 persons have been arrested by the police. Injured include the Imam of the Ahlihadees Masjid at Jogiyara. One Bashir Ahmed Teli son of Abdul Salam Teli was shifted to the hospital after grievous injuries. Locals alleged that the SHO has been threatening the people and arresting people who participated in freedom marches and provided vehicles and water to the marchers.
An undeclared curfew was one again clamped here in the interiors of the town on Monday following the violent clashes between the troopers and protesters on Sunday even as complete shutdown was observed in the district.
A huge contingent of Police and CRPF troopers was deployed in sensitive areas of the town including Malakh-Nag, Cheeni Chowk, Mattan Chowk and Kadipora till late evening and the movement of the people was curtailed. Most of the people were not even allowed to offer Zuhar and Asar prayers.
Even the patients were not allowed to go to the hospitals.
“My son was suffering from dehydration but I wasn’t allowed to take him to the hospital and had to rely on local medication,” said one Muhammad Yusuf.
The town witnessed massive protests following the alleged atrocities of the troops who on Friday had barged into several houses in Malakh Nag and Cheeni-Chowk and smashed the window panes of more than 200 houses and 100 vehicles.
The situation turned ugly after the Deputy-Commissioner Islamabad termed the story of the protesters as concocted saying that people have themselves broken the window panes of their houses and vehicles thus refusing to lodge an FIR against the erring troopers.
Three more youth were arrested on the intervening night from Malakhnag area with the residents saying that the troopers are carrying the snaps of the people involved in the protests and then raiding their houses during night.
Later in the evening here as soon as the curfew was relaxed women and children took to streets demanding immediate release of the arrested youth. Protesters also pelted stones at CRPF vehicles at Laizbal.



SHUTDOWN IN VALLEY
Life was crippled in Kashmir valley due to general strike call given by the Hurriyat-led Coordination Committee (CC), spearheading the present agitation, against the excessive use of force and killing of youth in Nowhatta on Saturday. The strike had been also called in protest against the Election Commission meeting in New Delhi to discuss elections in J&K.
All the shops, business establishments, schools, colleges and government offices remained closed for the third consecutive day while the private and the public transport also remained off the roads. Shutdown was also observed in almost all the towns and district head quarters,
In Sopur, youth took out a peaceful rally and marched in the town amid a complete shutdown. Shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans on the rooftops of buses and taxis, they later dispersed off peacefully. Shutdown was also observed in other districts including Budgam, Islamabad, Pulwama and Shopian.