Day 31:Protests, Clashes Continue; Shopian Boy Succumbs

Srinagar: Month long curfew and restrictions remained in force across most parts of Kashmir with reports of sporadic protests and clashes coming in from dozens of areas while business of life remained paralysed for the 31st consecutive day.
Towns of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama were under curfew. Restrictions continued in old city areas of Srinagar, north Kashmir's Sopore, Baramulla, Handwara and Kupwara towns, police sources said.
A 17 year old youth Amir Bashir Lone of Sedow village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS Monday morning, taking the death toll to 61.
He had been hit by pellets from a very close range on Friday which had perforated his skull at various places and damaged his brain severely, doctors attending him at SKIMS said.
residents of Sedow village, men women and children came out of their homes and stage a massive pro-anti-India protest shortly after the news about the death of the Amir reached there. Reports said that thousands of mourners visited the bereaved family to express their solidarity.
Reports said that at least seven civilians, including four women, were injured – two of them critically-after government forces fired pellets to break up a demonstration in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district Monday morning. Bijbehara is the hometown of Mehbooba Mufti, the chief minister.
Witnesses said that government forces barged into several houses in Semthan village of Bijbehara, following which people took to streets as a mark of protest. Govt forces charged at the protesters; triggering massive clashes. CRPF shot pellets at the protesters causing injuries to seven persons. The injured were sent to SDH Bijbehara where from two critically injured persons were referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment, said an official. Injured include 3 women.
Reports said that a woman who had suffered pellet injuries in both her eyes was among those referred to Srinagar. Doctors identified the injured as Ruby Jan (Pellet injuries to head and face), Tawseef Ahmed ((Pellet injuries to both eyes), Haseena Akhtar (Pellet injuries to both eyes), Reena Jan (Pellet injuries to right arm and backside), Adil Ahmed (Pellet injuries to backside) Jameela Bano (Pellet injuries to right eye) and Firdous Ahmed (Pellet injuries to face and leg).
Residents alleged that a youth whom they identified as Muhammad Umar who according to them had gone to hospital for checkup was caught hold by police and CRPF personnel and was beaten to pulp. “He was half-dead when we saved him from the clutches of the armed forces and shifted him to SDH Bijbehara,” they said.
In Srinagar the clashes were reported from Lawaypora HMT and Rainawari area. A youth was critically injured after he was hit by a pellet in Laweypora during clashes between forces and protesters.
Identifying the injured youth as Abdul Rouf Parray of Lawyapora a doctor at JVC Hospital said that they referred him to SKIMS Srinagar. Stone-pelting incidents were also reported from Rainwari Srinagar where police used tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters.

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