SRINAGAR: Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama towns continued to reel under curfew on Saturday while curfew was lifted from Bijbehara and Anantnag-Islamabad towns. Elsewhere in the Kashmir valley, normal life was hit by a Hurriyat sponsored strike.
Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed in strength in sensitive areas of all the towns including Srinagar city to thwart any protests.
Business establishments and educational institutions across Kashmir valley remained closed while traffic also remained off the roads, except for vehicles of police and paramilitary forces. Skeletal private transport was also seen plying on a number of routes.
However, in some civil lines areas like Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh, Ram Bagh, Solina, Sonawar and Natipora shops remained open.
The authorities had blocked most of the exit and entry points of old Srinagar with armored vehicles deployed at some road junctions.
Stone pelting incidents were reported from some parts of the interior city.
A group of youth blocked the road near Khanyar and did not allow private transport to ply. They later clashed with CRPF and police personnel for when latter intervened.
In nearby Nowhatta, police resorted to tear smoke shelling to disperse the agitated youth who were protesting against Shopian killings. Large number of masked youth appeared near Nowhatta and Gojwara chowk and pelted stones on police and CRPF men. Youth attacked an armoured vehicle of CRPF with stones. The clashes continued for several hours. CRPF used catapults and attacked the agitated youth with marbles. However, no one was injured during these clashes.
Protestors and police clashed near Hawal Chowk also. Scores of youth attacked police and para-military personnel with stones. Youth also pelted stones on vehicles and closed roads for traffic.
In Budgam and Ganderbal districts of central Kashmir also, the strike paralyzed normal life. Shops and other business establishments remained closed and public transport was by and large off the roads. In Mochu, Budgam, scores of youth occupied railway track and were seen pelting stones on vehicles plying on roads. Youth disrupted traffic there for hours. However, most of the shops in Mochu were remained open.
In North Kashmirs Bandipore district, at least two youth were injured during clashes, one of them critically. However, police said that both the youth were injured when miscreants attacked them. Youth attacked police party in Naidkhai, and Hajan with stones and tried to take out a march.
A police handout said that, an 11 years old boy Waheed Malik son of Abdullah Malik resident of Hajan who was on way from Hajan to Bandipore, where he works as a waiter in a restaurant was seriously injured in the eye by a stone pelted by miscreants at main market Bandipore. He has been referred to hospital for treatment.
In yet another incident at Nasoo, Bandipore, according to police, one person was injured in a clash between stone pelters and people. He has also been referred to hospital for treatment.
Reports from Baramulla said in response to the strike call, a complete shutdown was observed in this northern town. All shops were closed and traffic was off the roads. Pitched battles were fought by youth with riot police and CRPF for most part of the day. Scores of youth in Khanpora, Azad Ganj, Cement Bridge, Sumo Stand engaged police and CRPF personnel and pelted stones on them. Police used tear gas to disperse them. Reports said that youth regrouped after every incident and resorted to heavy stone-pelting. We cant breathe properly. There is so much tear gas all around, a Baramulla resident told CNS on phone.
In Palhallan area of Pattan, authorities had deployed CRPF personnel to tackle any untoward situation. All shops were closed in the area.
Complete shutdown was also observed in Magam and Tangmarg townships. All the shops were closed and thin movement of vehicles was witnessed on roads.
Complete shutdown was also observed in Sopore town. Reports said shops, other business establishments, and government offices remained closed. The traffic was off the roads. Life was also affected in Kupwara and Handwara areas due to the strike. Shops, business establishments and fuel stations were closed due to the strike.
Meanwhile authorities lifted curfew in Bijbehara and Islamabad towns on Saturday where situation remained peaceful during the day. However, strict curfew remained in place in Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam.
Amid curfew and restrictions protests erupted in parts of Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama with rock-throwing protesters clashing with police and paramilitaries.
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was injured after he was thrashed by protestors at Memender in Shopian. Later the protestors torched his uniform, reports said.
In Shirmal and Ilyalpora of Shopian district, two persons were injured during the clashes between youth and para-military soldiers. Youth resorted to heavy stone pelting in Shirmal and attacked police and CRPF personnel deployed on roads.
Curfew was in force in Reidwani, Qaimou and Khudwani areas of Kulgam. Amid restrictions and curfew, youth in these areas came on roads and pelted stones on security personnel. Police and CRPF men lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse the agitated youth. The clashes in these areas continued for hours.
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