Protests in Bandipora as Army detains 7 youths

At least five persons, including a woman, were injured during protests against the detention of seven youths by the Army in Chuntimulla village of Bandipora district today.
Three of the seriously injured civilians, including the woman, were shifted to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar. They have been identified as Sakeena, Junaid, and Mohammad Hussain.
The trouble started when the Army picked up seven youths of Chuntimulla village this morning for questioning, leading to unrest in the village.
Villagers, suspecting trouble, held protests and demanded immediate release of the youths.
Nearly 200 locals, agitating against the Army action, marched to Bandipora town and protested outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
Protests in the town continued till late afternoon and ended after the Deputy Commissioner promised the protesters that an investigation would be held into the incident.
An Army spokesman said the youths were picked up during a joint operation launched by the Special Operations Group of the J&K Police and the Army for questioning, leading to violent protests in the village.
The spokesman said the civilians were injured in police lathicharge. He added that the youths picked up for questioning were handed over to the police.
However, residents alleged that the five civilians were injured in Army action.
Meanwhile, searches have been going on in a forest area near to the village for more than a couple of weeks following reports of three to five militants hiding in the forests.
An encounter had taken place between militants and security forces near Chuntimulla (Arin) on October 27. An Army soldier was killed in an encounter with militants on October 28 at the Boothu forests near Bandipora.