Valley still on the boil, 13 injured

Protesters skirmish with police, CRPF in many areas

 Kashmir Valley continued to remain on the boil for third consecutive day on Thursday with atleast 13 people including nine policemen injured in fresh clashes. Despite curfew, protesters clashed with police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at dozens of places across Valley.

A police spokesperson said miscreants pelted stones in Batamaloo and Zakoora in Srinagar, Khanpora, Cement Bridge and Palhalan in Baramulla, Narbal crossing in Budgam, Papchan in Bandipora and Cherkoot Lolab in Kupwara.

“Police exercised maximum restraint and chased them away. Nine policemen and two civilians received minor injuries,” he said.

Sources said two teenagers were injured in clashes in old town Baramulla, 55 km from here, in evening when they were hit by pallets.

Fearing more trouble on Friday, authorities imposed section 144 in entire Srinagar from Thursday midnight.

Police and CRPF personnel have already been deployed in strength at vulnerable areas of the city and other parts of the Valley.

The death of Tahir Rasool Sofi, allegedly in Army firing in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town on Tuesday, has added fuel to the fire as authorities have already been beset with trouble arising out of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s execution and mysterious death of a Kashmiri student in Hyderabad.

Pertinently, none of the separatist organisations had called for a shutdown on Thursday.
Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled for March 7 and 8 in view of the tension prevailing in the Valley.

A spokesman of the KU said fresh dates for the examinations will be notified later.

Geelani detained

Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani arrived in Srinagar on Thursday after spending almost three months in New Delhi.

Immediately after his arrival at Srinagar International Airport, he was whisked away by police and taken to his Hyderpora residence where he was put under house arrest.
Condemning the authorities for putting strict restrictions on his movement and not allowing people to meet him at his residence, the octogenarian separatist leader said the state was trying to muzzle the voices of people and leaders through police high handedness.