SRINAGAR: Kashmir valley Sunday observed a complete shutdown against the killing of four youth in South Kashmirs Shopian district over the weekend.
The call for strike was given by different separatist groups including JKLF and Hurriyat Conference.
On Sunday curfew was extended to neighbouring district of Kulgam, the hometown of third youth, killed in CRPF firing on Saturday.
Hundreds of people, including a large number of women, raising anti-India slogans defied curfew today and assembled in front of Gagrin CRPF camp in Shopian,demanding its removal from the area.
People used Public Address System to raise slogans.
Police sources said protestors did not give heed to the repeated directions from police that town was under curfew. Protesters sat on dharna against the killing of four youth, they call innocent civilians killed in cold blood.
Pertinently, four youth were killed on Sunday at Gagrin Shopian in CRPF firing.
We are not going to end the protest till this camp is removed from the area. We demand an impartial probe into the incident and police should book all the CRPF men involved in the killing of our youth, said an elderly, Ghulam Qadir.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar visited the spot and tried to pacify them. However the protestors remained unmoved.
Reports said that at Baba Mohalla Shopian, youth resorted to stone pelting after the CRPF personnel restricted the movement of mourners and did not allow them to visit the house of slain youth Towseef Ahmed.
People, especially women came on roads and resented the action of CRPF personnel. Agitated youth pelted stones on CRPF after which they resorted to aerial firing.
Strict curfew was in force in Shopian Bazar and nobody was allowed to move on the roads. People were asked through public address system not to step out of their houses.
From Shopian, the tension spread to adjacent town of Kulgam when it was revealed that third youth identified as Tariq Ahmed Mir son of Ghulam Nabi belonged to Okey village of Kulgam. In order to thwart protests in the town, authorities imposed an undeclared curfew in the district.
Complete shutdown was observed by people in different parts of Kulgam including, Kelam, Yaripora, Devsar, Dhamhal Hanjipora, Homshalibog, Qaimou, Khudwani, Reidwani, Chawalgam, Pahlu and Mirhama. All the shops in highway township of Qazigund remained shut and public transport was off the roads.
Heavy stone-pelting was reported from Dooru Shahabad. Youth pelted stones on police and CRPF personnel sparking ding dong battles. Three civilians were injured in the clashes.
Reports said that complete shutdown was also observed in North Kashmirs Baramulla, Sopore, Pattan, Kupwara, Sumbal and Bandipore towns. Life came to stand still in South and Central Kashmir as well. Shops and business establishments remained shut in Pulwama, Shopian, Tral, Islamabad, Kulgam Verinag, Ganderbal, Kangan and Budgam towns.
Stone pelting incidents were also reported from Baghe-Mehtab, Moochu, Kralapora and other areas. Scores of youth were seen on roads pelting stones on Sumo and other vehicles plying on the road. Youth burnt down tyres and raised pro-freedom slogans.
Amid strict restrictions, youth protested at Maisuma in Srinagar. Police and CRPF were deployed in strength to thwart any kind of protests in and around City.
A police official said that the situation remained peaceful in Kashmir and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
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