Day 24: 35 Injured in fresh clashes, 2 ‘Critical’, No let up in curbs as Protests Persist

Curfew, curbs continue; People follow resistance calendar, write pro-freedom slogans on roads, open shops after 6 pm

Three civilians were wounded, two of them critically, when forces fired teargas shells at protesters in some areas of Kashmir on Monday, even as normal life remained paralyzed throughout the Valley for the 24th consecutive day due to curfew, restrictions and shutdown.
A civilian was critically injured after police opened fire on a protest rally in Qazigund area of South Kashmir on Monday.
In Kalaroos area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara, five persons were injured due to pellets while a youth was wounded due to a teargas shell in Tangmarg area of Baramulla district. Elsewhere in clashes, scores were injured in police action on protesters. Late in the evening, a civilian was critically injured when a teargas shell his him in Bidder village of Kokernag Anantnag, witnesses said. He was referred to Srinagar’s SKIMS in a critical condition, they said. His identity couldn’t be immediately ascertained. Two more people sustained injuries in the village.

South Kashmir
Witnesses said one person was critically injured when forces fired on protesters in Qazigund area on Monday, even as curfew continued in most of South Kashmir towns for 24th straight day.
Witnesses said forces early morning opened fire and also used pellet gun on protesters at Levdoora Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu Highway, resulting in critical injuries to Mushtaq Ahmad Shah of nearby Panzath village. The injured was immediately rushed to Emergency and Trauma hospital Qazigund wherefrom he was referred to SKIMS Srinagar.
Shah had sustained firearm injury in his head and pellet injuries on his neck, Medical Superintendent of the Emergency and Trauma hospital told Kashmir Post.
He said one of the youths who had sustained pellet injuries on Sunday late evening was also referred to a Srinagar hospital.
The fresh firing triggered violent protests in the area. Forces again lobbed teargas shells to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to many, witnesses said.
Three CRPF men reportedly injured in the clashes were discharged after being treated at the Qazigund hospital.
On Sunday evening, two police officials were also injured in clashes in the area.
A youth was also injured in clashes in Harnag village of Anantnag. He was hit by a teargas shell fired by the forces into his house, locals said.
Clashes also erupted in Imam Sahib village of Shopian.
Reports said strict curfew remained in place in Anantnag, Bijbehara, Kulgam, Pulwama and Kakpora. However, massive protest demonstrations were held in several areas.
Clashes erupted in Old Town areas of Anantnag including Janglat Mandi and Sherpora late in the evening when deployment of forces was being withdrawn. A protest demonstration was also taken out. Massive rallies were held in Bijbehara, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian villages.
Today another huge pro-freedom procession was held at Hussanpora village of Arwani.
Tehreek-I-Hurriyat and JKLF activists, besides clerics from various sects, addressed the gathering. Muslim Conference Chairman and Hurriyat Conference (G) General Secretary, Ghulam Nabi Sumji, also addressed the rally.
A ‘bike and car rally’ was also taken out for the third successive day which passed through dozens of villages including Bugam, Mohamadpora, Nelaw, Pombay, Yaripora, Frisal, Redweni, Khodweni, Kaimoh and other villages. Another similar rally was taken out in Shopian villages-Zainapora, Chitragam.
A huge rally was also organized in Litter Pulwama while bike rallies were held in Goosu, Drubgam and other adjoining villages. A bike rally was also held in Mattan villages including Aakhoora, Nambal and Payibugh.
Reports of protest demonstrations also poured in from Dooru, Verinag, Kokernag, Achabal, Shangus, Tral, Awantipora, Pampore, Mattan, Tahab, Newa, areas of South Kashmir.
A youth sustained critical injuries due teargas shell in bidder village in Kokernag area of Anantnag on Monday evening. He has been referred to SKIMS.

Central Kashmir
Though Srinagar district remained by and large peaceful, curfew continued in jurisdictions of five police stations including Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal and Maharajgunj.
Residents of several localities of Srinagar including Habba Kadal, Khanyar, Nowshara, Bemina and Batamaloo alleged that paramilitary forces ransacked residential houses and damaged the windowpanes. Meanwhile, candlelight march was taken out after Magrib prayers in Aripathan, Magam, Chadoora, Budgam and some other areas. The reports of candlelight protests were also received from different parts of Srinagar city and other district headquarters of Kashmir.
A report said in the evening, hundreds of people defied the curfew and offered evening prayers in Jamia Masjid.
The residents of Rangreth on Monday offered Asr prayers on road.
Witnesses said scores of residents, including youth, senior citizens and children, took to the otherwise deserted main market and offered the prayers. Immediately after the prayers, the youth also staged protests amid pro-freedom and anti-India sloganeering. The residents also offered Magrib and Isha prayers at the same venue.
Reports from Ganderbal district said amid shutdown hundreds of people took to streets and held strong protest demonstration at several places. About a half a dozen people were injured in police action.
Reports from Budgam said amid complete shutdown, clashes erupted at Adina Magam, and Narbal Crossing. The clashes left around a dozen people injured. Magrib prayers were also offered at roads at several places.

North Kashmir
In Kupwara district, protests erupted at several places and five persons were injured due to pellets in Kalaroos, witnesses said. They were shifted to SDH Kalaroos where from they were referred to Kupwara hospital.
Reports said amid complete shutdown and restrictions, clashes erupted in Handwara, Kralpora, Trehgam, Lalpora and some other areas, and left about nine persons injured.
A report said Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan was attacked with stones by agitated youth in Tangdar. They said locals staged protest and started pelting stones on the minister after which forces swung into action to disperse the protesters. The Minister escaped unhurt.
Sopore Tehsil of Baramulla district witnessed protests and clashes at several places including Zainageer, Hatishah, Rafiabad and some other areas. Around a dozen people were injured.
Reports from Baramulla said the town and its adjoining areas witnessed strict restrictions amid shutdown. All bridges connecting Old Town with uptown areas remained closed. The lanes and by-lanes in uptown area were being guarded by the Army.
Reports said a youth was hit by a teargas shell in Tangmarg on Monday. He was identified as Ishfaq Ahmed Zargar, son of Ghulam Nabi of Chichloora. He was moved to Magam hospital.
Reports from Bandipora said intense clashes broke out on Monday in Kaloosa area. Witnesses said women were also part of the protest and clashed with forces. Forces used dozens of teargas shells and pepper gas to disperse the protestors. 10 people including two women were injured.
Witnesses said clashes also broke out in Papchan area. Clashes were going on when this report was filed.
Meanwhile, complete shutdown was observed in Bandipora, Hajin and Sumbal areas.

Graffiti On Walls, Roads
Despite severe restrictions, people in most parts of Kashmir Monday followed the resistance leadership calendar and wrote pro-freedom, pro-Burhan and anti-India slogans on walls, shop shutters and roads.
At different places, masked men were seen writing different slogans on walls.
In Lal Chowk Srinagar, shopkeepers opened their shops after 6 pm, but were forced by police to close them again. The police erected razor wire in Regal Chowk. However, police later removed the barbed wire and shopkeepers opened their shops again. Scores of commuters were seen shopping in Lal Chowk and other areas.
Reports from other areas of Kashmir said people availed the ‘relaxation’ announced by the resistance camp.

Anantnag Man Succmbs
A man from this South Kashmir district who was critically injured on July 11 due to a tyre burst succumbed to his injuries on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Manzoor Ahmad, 60, of Donipawa village of Anantnag, a mechanic by profession.
“The deceased had sustained injuries while fixing the puncture of a tyre of a truck at his mechanic shop,” reports said.
He was rushed to district hospital where from he was referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar.
“Manzoor’s condition however remained critical and he succumbed to his injuries today,” a doctor said. The deceased was father of four daughters.

Police Bulletin
“The situation throughout Kashmir remained under control although 15 incidents of stone pelting were reported across the valley. These incidents were reported from Ganderbal, Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora. During these law and order situations 03 persons, 25 police and security force personnel including a CRPF Coy Commander were injured. The CRPF Coy Commander suffered serious injury in his face.
As a precautionary measure Curfew/restrictions were put in place in police stations of North zone Srinagar and Anantnag town,” a police spokesman said in a statement.
Meanwhile, officials claimed that at least six of 49 deaths in Kashmir Valley have not been due to any action by police or armed forces. A police spokesman said 40-year-old Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Dooni Pawa village of Anantnag, was working in a tyre-repair shop when he reportedly sustained head injury due to bursting of a tyre on July 11.
“He was admitted to SKIMS, Soura where he died today. The deceased had no firearm injury,” he said, adding, “It is being wrongly alleged that the injury on his head was caused by a tear smoke shell.”
The spokesperson said 17-year-old Ishfaq Ahmad Dar of Sopore in Baramulla district had fallen from a tree at his native village of Tarzoo and was admitted in Sub District Hospital, Sopore initially and later referred to SKIMS where he succumbed to his injuries yesterday.
“The status of his injury was mentioned as a fall from a tree. The nature of the injury was revealed to be intra- ventricular haemorrhage with left temporal contusion. He had no firearm injury on his body,” he said and clarified that the information recorded at SKIMS about the person that he was allegedly beaten by the forces is “false”.
Ghulam Muhammad Mir (55), a resident of Isgund Khumrial village of Kupwara, was working as a coolie in Roads and Buildings Department and was posted in Cherkote, Kupwara.
“On July 16, a mob attacked 41 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion Headquarters at Kalarose, Kupwara where Army fired few shots in self-defence which resulted in injuries to some people. This triggered a pandemonium in which Mir was trampled and received blunt head injury due to fall. He was admitted in SMHS Hospital here where he later died. He also had no firearm injury,” the spokesperson said.