Violence snuffs out another young life

Valley on the boil: Curfew remains in place for 44th day

 With no let-up in protests and clashes, a teenaged youth, identified as, Irfan Ahmed died as he was hit by a tear gas shell at Nowhatta in Old city Srinagar, late on Sunday.

At least 15 were injured in the same incident.
Over 100 protesters were injured on Sunday in Kashmir, where the indefinite curfew remained enforced for the 44th consecutive day. Reports said dozens of people were injured during the clashes between protesters and security forces in Behrampora area of Sopore in north Kashmir. Witnesses said that the security forces used tear gas shelling and fired pellets to disperse the protesters who were marching towards Sopore town.

In a similar incident, six people, including two women, were injured in Hygam area of Baramulla district.

Reports of violence also poured in from south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian.

Thousands of people in these districts, defied curfew and took to the streets, protesting against the killings. Pakistani flags were also waved during these protests, witnesses told DH over phone.

They said religious scholars, besides activists of the separatist organisation, addressed the rallies.

In Srinagar, authorities sealed all entry and exit points leading to city centre at Lal Chowk. Curfew passes were also not being respected and people were being forced to return or take alternative routes.

A senior police officer said they have orders to enforce strict curfew.
“We are helpless as we have strict instructions from higher-ups to not allow anyone to move on the roads,” he said.

After August 15, authorities imposed round-the-clock curfew in Srinagar, adding to the woes of people living in the city. Even supplies of milk and vegetables have been stopped for the last five days.

Health officials and mediapersons have been the worst victims of the curfew as forces refuse to entertain passes issued to them by the district magistrate.

Several local newspapers have been carrying stories on how their staff was being harassed and manhandled on streets by the forces.

The police have also been making nocturnal raids across the Valley to arrest stone-pelters, which has created a climate of fear.

Nearly 100 protesters were injured during the clashes with security forces in different areas of the Valley on Saturday. The injured included an elderly couple at Tral in South Kashmir’s Pulwama.

An eight-year-old boy also sustained grave pellet injuries to his chest when the police fired at him from point-blank range at Nawabazar area of Srinagar.

At least 67 people, most of them teenagers, have been killed by the police and other security forces in the 44-day unrest, triggered by the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Over 7,500 have been injured, 500 with grave pellet injuries in eyes.