SRINAGAR: At least eleven persons were killed and hundreds injured after police and paramilitary forces opened fire to unsuccessfully quell the spontaneous Kashmir wide massive upsurge triggered by the death of Burhan Muzaffar Wani, 22 year old militant commander, widely believed to have caught the imagination of new generation Kashmir youth.
Burhan Wani was killed along with two of his associates by J&K Police with army help at Bamdoora, a remote village of Kokernag in South Kashmir, on Friday evening.
The news spread like wild fire and thousands of people came out of their houses and started marching towards the encounter site from dozens of areas of South Kashmir.
Soon enraged people encountered riot police and paramilitary soldiers taking them head on. Police stations and military camps were attacked and in at least two areas tourist resort of Acchbal and Kulgam police posts were set on fire during the nocturnal clashes.
Three policemen were missing after protesters over run police station Damhal Hanjipora, set it ablaze and took away the weapons, police said.
As the dawn broke Saturday crowds in the streets swelled, protests spread and chants of Azadi grew louder.
Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts witnessed worst street clashes, police sources said.
At Kolpora, Koimoh in Kulgam district police opened fire to stop the marching crowds. One Zubair Ahmed Khanday sustained multiple bullet injuries in thoracic region. Doctors at a local hospital declared him dead on arrival.
One report said CRPF personnel snatched the body of slain youth before loading it into an army vehicle.
At Dooru in Anantnag district another youth Aadil Bashir was killed on the spot when riot police opened fire. Firing on protesters was also reported from Silgam, Seer, also in Anantnag, leaving, at least three persons wounded. One of them was stated to be critically wounded, reports said.
Two more youth were killed in Hasanpora Kulgam when according to eyewitnesses CRPF fired upon protesters. A police official identified the slain youth as Abdul Hamid of Arwani and Showkat Ahmad of Bijbehara.
Another youth of Achabal Danish Ahmed, 19, succumbed to his wounds at SKIMS Srinagar.
He had received bullet injury after protesters ran over a police post there last evening.
Another youth whom police identified as Ajaz Ahmed Thokar son of Ali Muhammad a resident of Silgam Ashmuqam area of Anantnag district was killed in forces firing. Thousands of people participated in his last rites.
Agitated protesters ransacked SMHS hospital in Srinagar after a youth from Chattargam Kulgam identified as Muhammad Umar succumbed to his injuries. He was brought in from South Kashmir to Srinagar hospital after he received a bullet during clashes with government forces.
ANANTNAG
South Kashmirs principal city was on the edge with protesters out in defiance of curfew. Mosques were reverberating with pro-freedom and pro-Burhan slogans. Residents alleged that government forces barged into many houses in old town during the protests. Reports of massive protests were also received from Seer, Mattan, Kokernag and other villages of South Kashmir. Violent protests were also reported from Mir Bazar and Damhal Hanjipora while in Nilo Bugam a group of protesters attacked the BJP office.
A police official said that protesters torched a police station in Achabal and in Damhal Hanjipora after they attacked them. One police post was also attacked in Kund and has been set on fire. I cant tell you exactly what is happening on the ground. Protesters are going on rampage and we are busy in dealing with law and order situation, said a top police official.
TRAL
Amid heavy stone-pelting agitated youth set ablaze the old government vehicle of Tehsildar in Tral, the hometown of Burhan. Youth resorted to heavy stone-pelting in different areas of the town while police used tear-smoke shells to disperse them.
Reports said that agitated youth who were part of a procession attacked the house of a BJP leader Ghulam Hasan Zargar. However, Zargar who was a BJP candidate for last Assembly elections from Kulgam constituency was not present at the home. At Nehman Kulgam, protesters reportedly attacked an Army camp. The Army according to eyewitnesses retaliated with firing injuring several protesters.
NORTH KASHMIR
Witnesses said that hundreds of agitated youth attacked police station Pattan in Baramulla district with stones shortly after the culmination of funeral prayers in absentia offered by thousands of people for Burhan Wani and his two associates in main market Pattan. Witnesses added that the intense stone-pelting incident prompted government forces to resort to aerial firing and burst dozens of tear smoke canisters. The Pattan town was filled with smoke as government forces resorted to intense tear-gas shelling. The police also resorted to aerial firing creating panic in the area. However, the firing and teargas shelling didnt prevent youth from attacking police station. The intense clashes continued for hours in the town leaving dozens of protesters as well as policemen wounded.
A police constable Tanvir Ahmed was seriously injured after he was hit by a stone. The cop was rushed to Sub District Hospital Pattan where from he was shifted to SMHS hospital Srinagar for advanced treatment.
Locals alleged that CRPF personnel smashed windshields of many parked vehicles and barged into houses and ransacked them. The infuriated youth confronted them with stones. The situation in the town remained tense throughout the day. Confirming that youth attacked police station with stones and created law and order problem, a police official said that due to efforts of deployed security personnel situation was brought under control.
Clashes also erupted in Sopore town while government forces fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the agitated youth. Reports said that amid pro-freedom, pro-Burhan slogans youth cornered CRPF post located inside the premises of State Bank of India. The youth hurled stones on the CRPF and policemen deployed on the roads. Stone-pleting incidents were also reported from Armpora Sopore. At least 20 people were injured during the clashes. Block Medical Officer Sopore Dr Sami said that two youth had received pellet injuries and they both were shifted to Srinagar hospital.
Clashes also broke out in Narbal area where agitated youth targeted vehicles plying on the highway. After the police intervention, clashes erupted leaving many people wounded.
In Bandipore, a BSF bunker was set ablaze. Intense clashes were also reported from Baramulla town.
SRINAGAR
Life remained crippled across Srinagar city with most parts reeling under a curfew while rest of the areas observed a complete shutdown. Curfew had been clamped across old Srinagar city and areas falling under Maisuma and Kralkhud police stations in the uptown. Government forces in riot gears were seen patrolling streets of Srinagar city.
However Maisuma erupted and forces lobbed scores of tear gas canisters while youth resorted to intense stone pelting amid pro-freedom sloganeering. From uptown Tengpora, tear gas shelling and stone pelting continued for hours. Clashes also broke out in Batamaloo area of city. The agitated protesters had blocked roads and streets in different parts of civil line areas disrupting traffic. In Zampakadal area police according to reports used force to snatch the body of a Kulgam youth who succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital. Shortly after the death of Kulgam youth Muhammad Umar, locals from Zanpakadal offered funeral prayers in his favour, however witnesses said that police used force to take control of the dead body.
BUDGAM
Clashes erupted in Chichlora area near Magam town of central Kashmir after funeral prayers in absentia were held for slain militant commander Burhan Wani. Witnesses said that scores of people assembled in Chichlora on Srinagar-Gulmarg road and offered prayers for the 21-year-old poster boy of new-age militancy in Kashmir. Police and paramilitary forces lobbed teargas shells at the protesters who pelted stones. Clashes according to eyewitness continued for hours together.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General CID Mr SM Sahai while addressing a press conference said that, following the killing of three militants in Verinag on Friday, violent clashes occurred in various parts of the Valley on Saturday. Unruly mobs attacked security forces, civil, police establishments and vital installations throughout the Valley.
He said that violent incidents of arson and stone pelting were reported from Achabal, Kokarnag, Kund, Qazigund, DH Pora, Vessu, Dooru, Sangam, Awantipora, Pulwama, Bomai, Sopore, Baramulla, Palhalan, Pattan, Delina, Gantamullah, Sheeri, Kreeri, Lalpora, Bandipora, Narbal, Lasjan, Barzulla, Nowgam, Tengpora and Batamaloo. At many places the mobs forcibly tried to enter security force establishments with the intention to seize weapons and harm forces personnel. Two police stations DH Pora, Achabal, Tehsil Office Kokarnag and Police Post Kund, Qazigund were set on fire. The mob looted weapons from police station DH Pora and police personnel were fired upon. Three policemen are missing. The camps of Sangrama, Larnoo, Seer, Gopalpora, Mattan, Kokarnag, Dooru and Janglat Mandi were attacked, he said.
Sahai according to news agency CNS said that 96 forces personnel were seriously injured. The police and security personnel used tear gas to disperse the crowds. At a couple of places, during crowd control eight people died, he said. He appealed parents to keep and check on their wards and prevent them from indulging in stone-pelting and other kind of violence.
Some of the critically injured in police and CRPF firing and in stone-pelting incidents have been identified as Farooq Ahmed Rather, Zahid Ahmed Butt, Aaquib Hassan Parray and Manzoor Ahmed Wani-all in early twenties. Seventeen injured persons have been admitted to Srinagars government-run SMHS hospital, doctors attending on them said.
3 Cops With Weapons Missing
SRINAGAR: S M Sahai, ADG, Armed Police in a press conference on Saturday said that three policemen were missing along with their Weapons without divulging the further details.
96 security personnel were among the injured in clashes with protesters, Sahai said adding three policemen were missing along with their weapons.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javeed Mujtuba Gilani while addressing hurriedly called press conference here.
Calling the killing of three militants at Kokernag yesterday, violent clashes occurred in various parts of valley today. Unruly mobs attacked security forces, civil, police establishments and vital installations throughout the valley IGP said.
IGP said violent incidents of arsons and stone pelting reported from Achabal, Kokernag, Kund Qazigund, DH pora, Vessu, Dooru, Sangam, Pulwama, Bomai, Sopore, Baramulla, Palhalan, Pattan, Delina, Gantmulla, Sheeri, Kreeri, Lalpora, Bandipora, Lasjan, Barzulla, Nowgam, Tengpora and Batmalo.
At many places, the mobs forcibly tried to enter security forces establishgements with the intention to snatch weapon and harm force personnel, IGP said.
Two police stations, DH pora, Kund Qazigund and Tehsil office Kokernag were sat on fire. The mob looted weapons from Police station DH pora and Police personnel were fired upon, IGP said, adding 3 policemen are missing in south Kashmir.
The Camps of Sangam larno, Seer, Gopalpora, Mattan, Kokernag, Dooru and Junglaat Mundi were also attacked. 96 force personnel were seriously injured. The police and security force used tear gas shelling to disperse the crowds leading to deaths 8 persons.
Meanwhile, authorities suspended train services in wake of the tense situation across Kashmir Valley.
Over 20 police camps were attacked by mobs, who also looted weapons from police stations and fired upon security personnel, the Inspector General of Police in Kasmir Javid Gilani said. He maintained that police acted with restraint and used tear gas to disperse protestors. Two police stations DH pora in Achabal, Tehsil Office Kokernag and Police Post Kund in Qazigund were set on fire and incidents of arson and stone pelting were reported from many parts of Kashmir, said a press statement
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