SRINAGAR: Several city areas were placed under curfew on Friday to thwart marches to UN Observer Groups office here on the call of ‘Joint Resistance Leadership, while sporadic clashes erupted at dozens of places across Kashmir soon after Friday prayers were over.
A 12-year-old boy was critically injured in Syedpora area on Ali Jan Road on Friday when he was hit by pellets while as clashes erupted in Soura and Hajin areas following congregational Friday prayers.
Sources identified the injured boy as Junaid Ahmad.
“He has been hit by pellets in chest and head,” sources in SKIMS Soura said, “Junaid is unconscious and is being treated in operation theatre.”
Reports reaching from Soura said that intense clashes erupted after Friday prayers.
“People wanted to take out pro-freedom rally but police and CRPF men fired tear gas shells to disperse them,” reports said.
This led to intense clashes which are still going on.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted in Hajin area of Bandipora district after congregational Friday prayers while as peaceful protest rallies were organised in Ajas and Saderkoot area of the north Kashmir district.
“Youths resorted to stone pelting after police and CRPF contingents tried to disperse the protesting people in Hajin,” reports said, “people were marching towards Sumbal but police and CRPF men intercepted them which led to clashes.”
Four youths have sustained injuries in the on-going protests in Hajin which are still going on.
In Palhallan area of Baramulla district, reports said that men in uniform resorted to intense aerial firing “creating terror in the area”. “Forces came inside the village but people came out with rods and other farming instruments to challenge the forces.”
Reports of sporadic clashes have also come in from Budgam and Pulwama districts.
Elsewhere normal life remained crippled for the 91st consecutive day as authorities imposed restrictions in Srinagar city in the morning to prevent a protest march to the UN Military Observer's office at Sonwar.
Police backed by paramilitary forces had sealed off all roads leading to Sonawar high security zone and were stopping any movement the barricaded zone.
Govt forces in Srinagar city had sealed almost all the routes while city centre Lal Chowk remained out of bounds. Concertina wires had been erected to restrict the movement of people and commuters. There was no Friday congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid for the 13th consecutive week while authorities locked the gates of a revered Sufi shrine, located adjacent to the UN office.
Reports said that the gates of Hazrat Syed Yaqoob Sahib (RA) were locked by the authorities, thereby disallowing congregational Friday prayers there.
Reports from North Kashmir said that more than five thousand people offered Friday congregational prayers at Eidgah Palhalan that were led by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat district president Abdul Gani Bhat. Shortly after Friday prayers, protesters move to block highway was foiled by police who fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
Clashes also broke out in Hanjivera and Singhpora areas of Pattan after Friday prayers. Police according to eye-witnesses fired pellets and tear-gas canisters to dissipate them. Clashes between the Govt forces and protesters continued for hours and it left many protesters wounded.
Clashes erupted in north Kashmir’s Bandipora town on Friday soon after congregational prayers when the government forces did not allow people to hold a protest.
Hundreds of people assembled in the main Chowk of the town after prayers and started raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans however forces deployed in large numbers swung into action and used force to disperse them. Protesters also pelted stones on forces ensuing clashes which left many wounded.
Clashes also erupted in Sopore town in Baramulla district on Friday soon after congregational prayers, reports said. Locals said that hundreds of people tried to march from Jamia masjid Sopore after prayers and they started raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. However forces deployed in large numbers swung into action and used force to disperse them near main bazaar resulting in clashes.
Reports of clashes between protesters and forces also broke out in Jamia Qadeem Sopore.
Pro-freedom marches were taken out in Kakapora and Tahab areas of Pulwama district. Protesters in these areas clashed with government forces. Forces used tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters who continuously attacked them with stones amid pro-freedom slogans. Pro-freedom protest marches were also organized in Aarihal and Rohmu Pulwama.
Reports said that police foiled ‘Salar Chalo’ march and imposed strict restrictions in and around Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Groups of youth there resorted to stone-pelting while police fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the agitating youth. Protest marches were also taken out in Bijbehara and Seer Hamdan area of the district. Thousands of people joined pro-freedom peaceful marches shortly after the culmination of Friday congregational prayers.
Reports from South Kashmir’s Kulgam district said that peaceful pro-freedom marches were carried out in scores of areas including Koimouh, Bogund, Yaripora, Panew, Srando, Bogam and Muhammadpora.
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