Curfew, Shutdown Continues On 50th Day In Kashmir

 Curfew, restrictions and shutdown continued on the 50th straight day in Kashmir while the body of a youth who had jumped into the Jhelum River at Sangam in Anantnag district on Friday evening to escape from the forces was fished out on Saturday morning.
A top police official told the local news agency  KNS that the curfew and restrictions remained in force to thwart any possible protests against the civilian killings in Kashmir.
Meanwhile huge contingent of forces and paramilitary troopers were deployed on roads and streets while all the roads leading towards BB cant were sealed by the authorities to counter the march called by separatist leadership.
However, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani was Saturday detained outside of his residential house after he tried to lead a protest march towards BB Cantonment as part of joint programme while the Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq who was also scheduled to march towards BB cant was detained by the police to prevent him from marching.
Reports said that as soon as Geelani stepped out from his residence to march towards BB Cant, police stopped him and lodged him under preventive custody.Prior to his arrest, Geelani read out the letter, he was supposed to present to army leadership in Kashmir at the BB Cantonment.
Soon after his detention, the Hurriyat (G) activists staged a protest in the area during which pro-freedom slogans were chanted. However, the protesters later dispersed off peacefully.
In South Kashmir’s Sangam area, locals here retrieved the body of a youth, they said drowned in Jhelum river after being chased by the government forces in Sangam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district yesterday.
Reports quoting witnesses said that three youth jumped into the Jhelum to escape from the forces during protests on Friday.While two of them managed to swim to the banks safely, one remained untraced until today morning when his body was fished out from the river.
The deceased, identified as 24-year-old Shahnawaz Khan, son of Iqbal Khan, was a resident of Dadoo Marhama area of Sangam.
Amid rainfall four consecutive funeral prayers were held for the slain youth in the area. Thousands of people from adjoining areas marched towards Marhama and participated in his funeral. The participants raised pro freedom and anti-India slogans.
Meanwhile, reports of clashes and protests were reported from several areas throughout the day.
Scores of people were injured after the forces used tear gas canisters and fired pellets to foil a rally in twin villages of Bugam and Bolsoo in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, reports said.
Reports quoting doctors at District Hospital Kulgam confirmed that twelve persons were admitted for treatment. “Two of them were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment,” said a doctor.
One of the injured, Suhail Ahmad, has suffered an injury in his eye, he said.
The residents alleged that forces personnel ransacked the houses and thrashed the inmates without any provocation.
However, the rally was held in Bugam despite the forces’ action, they said.
Clashes were reported between youth and forces in Shopian during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth in the area.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed across north Kashmir while clashes and protests were reported in several areas throughout the day.
Clashes erupted in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district after forces allegedly barged into the residential houses in several villages, beat up the inmates and damaged their properties.
Reports quoting eyewitnesses said that dozens were injured in the forces action.
The injured were rushed to Sub-District Hospital Magam, SDH Pattan and Primary Health Centre Sherabad Khore Pattan for treatment.The residents of Hanjiwera, Pattan said that forces barged into the houses and beat inmates besides damaging property and other belongings.
Soon after the incident, villagers took to the streets to protest against the alleged highhandedness by forces.However, the forces fired tear smoke shells to disperse the agitating youth who pelted stones on them.
Reports quoting a top police officer said that a large number of youth had blocked the highway and were checking the identity cards of commuters.He said the forces burst few teargas shells after the youths pelted stones on them.Clashes erupted between youth and forces at Imam Sahab Shopian. “Forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the youth who were pelting stones on them,” witnesses said.People had called for Kanjiwular and Barbuk Shopian chalo march today.Thousands of people assembled in the rally and raised pro-freedom slogans.However, the rally was called off by the people due to heavy rainfall in the area.
Meanwhile, the Zonal Police Headquarters, Kashmir in a statement said that barring five incidents of stone pelting in Anantnag, Shopian and Bandipora, the overall situation remained peaceful and under control across Kashmir valley till filing of this report.
“The stone pelting incidents were reported from Barbugh, Hillow, Kadgam in Shopian, Sangam in Anantnag and Watpora, Potshah in Bandipora,” a spokesman of ZPHQ Kashmir said.
He said some miscreants in order to disturb the situation assembled on roads and pelted stones on police and security force deployments.The spokesman said restrictions under section 144/CrPC remained in force in the valley.
“However, curfew was imposed in Srinagar city, Anantnag, Pulwama and Pampore towns,” he said.