SRINAGAR: The body of a minor boy, who drowned in Jhelum river while being chased by security forces, was found here this afternoon, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir valley to 75.
"Danish Sultan Haroo, a seventh standard student, along with three other boys jumped from Parimpora bridge during a clash last evening to escape arrest but got drowned," a police official said.
"Three boys managed to swim to safety, but there was no trace of Haroo whose body was retrieved from the river near Krishbal in the outskirts of the city today," he added.
Soon after the body reached his Palpora residence, thousands of people defied curfew and joined his funeral procession, the official said, adding, the funeral procession enroute to Eidgah was stopped at Noorbagh bridge leading to minor clashes during which law enforcing agencies fired several teargas shells.
"However, no one was injured in the clashes. The body is being taken to be laid to rest at martyrs graveyard at Eidgah," the officer said.
Meanwhile, Curfew was today reimposed in many parts of Kashmir including Srinagar as a precautionary measure ahead of Friday prayer congregations even as normal life remained paralysed in the Valley for the 56th day.
"Curfew has been imposed in entire Srinagar district and some other towns of the Valley as a precautionary measure," a police official said.
He said other towns where curfew was imposed included Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla and Pattan.
"Restrictions on assembly of people have been imposed in rest of the Valley due to apprehensions of violence after Friday prayers," the official said.
Curfew was lifted in most parts of Kashmir from Monday and it was completely withdrawn two days ago.
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Reports of clashes between government forces and the protesters poured in from different parts of Srinagar city. Clashes broke out in Kaka Sarai area of downtown Srinagar after forces fired teargas shells into a protest rally. Reports said that hundreds of protesters, including women and children, took out a rally to demand the release of youths arrested by police. Witnesses said that many people were wounded in forces action. The protesters said that scores of youth have been picked up by police during nocturnal raids.
Intense clashes erupted at Barthana Parimpora area in the city outskirts on Friday morning. Local said that over a dozen protesters were injured during clashes four among them were shifted to JVC hospital. They said police arrested one youth during clashes. Clashes erupted soon after locals started protesting against the drowning incident of a minor identified as Daanish.
Clashes also broke out in Zampakadal where protesters demanded the release of the arrested youth.
Reports said that rallies and protests were held in Old Barzulla, Mehjoor Nagar Natipora, Noorbagh, Brein Nishat Shivpora and Sonawar.
Eyewitnesses said that after Friday prayers culminated in the Shivpora area, youth took to streets against the civilian killings in Kashmir valley. They said the youth were chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. The youth were marching towards the highway, however, a contingent of paramilitary CRPF men intercepted them, triggering massive clashes. The forces allegedly smashed window panes of some houses and also beat up inmates.
Mehrajuddin Bhat son of Abdul Rehman Bhat was shifted to SKIMS Soura after he received serious pellet injuries at Brein Nishat during clashes with government forces.
Similar rallies were held in Budgam and Hanjiveera Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Eyewitnesses said that over a dozen people were wounded in different areas of Pattan town including Palhalan, Singpora, Malpora, Miyamohalla, Hamray,Nihalpora,Tapper, and other areas during clashes that erupted between protesters and the government forces. Some protesters suffered pellet injuries and were shifted to SMHS hospital Srinagar.
In Palhallan area thousands of people from Goshbugh and Ussan Villages offered prayers at Eidgah Palhallan. Shortly after the culmination of Friday prayers, people tried to march towards Srinagar-Muzafarabad road, however they were stopped by police that triggered clashes. Locals said that government forces used pellet guns injuring more than 10 protesters.
Many people were wounded in clashes that erupted between protesters and government forces in Sopore town. Witnesses said that a procession was taken out by people from Jamia Masjid Sopore. Some youth present in the procession pelted stones on police triggering clashes.
Clashes erupted in Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district after protesters attacked the Army Goodwill School located in the area.Reports said that forces fired teargas shells and pellets to disperse the protesters, triggering massive clashes. Reports of clashes were also reported from Nowpora and Gulshan chowk areas of the district.
The residents of Natpora village of Bandipora alleged that the government forces barged into their homes and beat up the inmates.
“Government Forces barged into our homes last evening without any provocation, thrashed the inmates and ransacked the houses,” said a resident.
He said there were no stone-pelting protests going on in the area when the forces carried out the vandalism.
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Reports said that over sixty political workers and three Sarpanches announced their resignation on Friday in a massive public rally in Nadihal village where a teen killed in firing by forces two days ago.
Thousands of people gathered in a local playground in the village where a massive pro-freedom rally was held. 62 activists of various pro-India political parties and three Sarpanches announced their resignation during the rally. “All the activists said that they had resigned on their own and the decision was not taken under any pressure,” said the eyewitnesses.
Reports said that a large number of youth pelted stones on police station Sumbal. Police retaliated with tear-smoke shells. Reports said that clashes in Sumbal continued for hours.
Massive rallies were organized in different areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Such rallies were held Lelhar, Samboora, Kakapora, Karimabad, Rajpora, Littar, Drabgam, Rohmu, Muran, Newa, Tahab, Hal, Dangarpora and other parts. Civil Society members staged a peaceful pro-freedom protest in Pulwama town. People at Gadoora village staged a protest against arrest spree. According to protesters police picked up five youth during nocturnal raid whom they identified as Naseer Ahmed Pandit, Adil Ahmed Wani, Muzafar Ahmed, Arshid Ahmed and Owais Ahmed Wagay.
Protests were also held in different parts of Kulgam district including Bugam, Bogund, Muhammadpora, Yaripora, Toolinowpora, Soput, Tangapora, Koimou, Srindhu, Panewa and other areas. The effigies of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti were set in fire at Srindhu and Koimouh. Stone pelting incidents were also reported from Lower Munda Qazigund.
Police imposed curfew to foil a pro-freedom rally at Dooru Anantnag. However, people assembled in the adjacent village Mehmood Abad and organized a massive pro-freedom rally. Protest marches were also taken out in Bijbehara, Chee, Seer Hamdan and other areas of the district. Reports said that miscreants attacked a hospital ambulance near Behram Sahab Harnag area in which three hospital employees were injured.
Clashes broke out in Tral town when youth pelted stones on government forces near Eidgah. Protest also broke out in Dadsara after a youth Nisar Ahmed Rather was booked under Public Safety Act.
According to Zonal Police Headquarters, Kashmir, curfew was imposed in Srinagar, towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Baramulla today.
According to a police spokesman at least 35 stone pelting incidents were reported from Srinagar, Sopore, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Baramulla, Bandipora, Kulgam and Kupwara till the filing of this report. “At these places, after Friday prayers miscreants assembled on the roads and pelted stones on police and security force deployments,” he said.
The spokesman said that last evening some unknown persons set ablaze a Vocational Training Center at Watergam in the jurisdiction of Police Station Dangiwacha, Sopore, resulting in complete damage to the structure. “Sopore police has registered a case in this regard,” he said.
The Valley has been hit by violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Normal life remained affected due to the separatist sponsored strike as educational institutions and private offices were closed while public transport continued to be off the roads.
The separatists have extended the shutdown programme till September 8 and have asked people to occupy the Srinagar Airport road on September 3 and 4, when Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to lead an all-party delegation to the Valley.
As many as 74 persons including two police personnel, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in the Valley since July 8.
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