Pellets terror makes a comeback 15 injured in Sopore, Resistance take summer protest calendar into winter

After a lull of 10 days, pellets and tear gas shelling returned to haunt the residents of Sopore area of north Kashmir where at least 15 people sustained injuries in security forces action Wednesday.
Reports said police and paramilitary personnel conducted search operation in village Zaloora in Sopore. “During the search operation, some people created law and order problem, after which we fired a few tear gas shells,” SP Sopore, Harmeet Singh, told Kashmir Post. He said police didn’t fire pellets.

Locals of Zaloora, however, contested police claim and said that at least 15 people sustained pellet and teargas shell injuries. “Most of the people received pellets on their legs and back and were treated locally,” they said. The locals alleged that forces broke windows of residential houses during the raid.
Reports from the summer capital Srinagar said that amid strike call by the joint resistance leadership, private and public transport plied on the roads. Reports said that in a few areas shops remained open that include Sanatnagar, Pandrethan, Athwajan, Sonwar and Karanagar.
Reports from various district headquarters said that though shops remained closed but transport could be seen plying.

Reports from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district said that people in Bijbehara area remembered three local militants on their first death anniversary. Adil Ahmad Sheikh, Tanveer Ahamd Bhat – residents of main town Bijbehara – and Sartaj Ahmad Lone of Wopzan village were killed by government forces on this day last year in Silgam village of Ashmuqam. Their killing had triggered protests and shutdown in the area for four days. People in Bijbehara town marched towards martyrs graveyard in Housing Colony and offered Fateha for the militants. Sartaj’s Fateha was held at his native village Wopzan. The shutdown in the area continued during relaxation hours too with shops closed and traffic off the roads.

Meanwhile, unified separatist leadership Wednesday extended the protest calendar till December 1.
A joint statement of the unified separatist leadership led by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik issued here said the protests would continue till December 1 with five days of protests and shutdown and full-day relaxation over the weekend.
Among the five days of shutdown, the separatists have called for a complete shutdown on Monday, Tuesday and Friday while on Wednesday and Thursday they have given relaxation from 4 pm to 7 am on the next day.
On Friday, November 25, they have urged people to offer “freedom prayers” at Jamia Masjids of respective districts and stage peaceful protest after the congregational Friday prayers.
On Saturday, November 26 and Sunday, November 27, the unified separatist leadership have given a general relaxation call and urged people to use public transport exclusively on these days for the support of the transport community and as a social and community responsibility, encourage family and friends to use public transport too.
On Monday, November 28, they have urged the people to join “Azadi road shows” and march toward tehsil headquarters from 7 am on motorcycles and bicycles and also march on foot.
“If and wherever stopped, assemble, occupy and protest at that place till 4 pm,” they said to the people and exempted lawyers from participating in protests and instead appear in courts for pleading the cases of the detainees.
On Tuesday, November 29, the unified separatist leadership has asked people to observe the day as “women’s day” and assemble and occupy local squares and centres from Dhur to Asr in the vicinity of mohallas, villages and localities and protest with flags, placards and banners with “freedom” messages and slogans.
On Wednesday, November 30, they have asked people to participate in the “freedom march” from 7 am from Kupwara to Vilgam Ramhal; Baramulla to Singhpora; Bandipora to Quil Muqam; Budgam to Rathsun; Ganderbal to Mansbal; Srinagar to Sonwar; Pulwama to Tahab; Shopian to Pinjoora; Kulgam to Buchroo and Islamabad to Verinag and urged them to hold “freedom congregation” at the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually post Dhur prayers.
On Thursday, December 1, the unified separatist leadership called upon people to organise a one-day “Azadi convention” from 11 am to 4 pm in neighbouring villages and localities of respective areas and deliberate and discuss ways and means to strengthen the ongoing “people’s uprising for freedom from India.”
The joint statement said the relaxation period is for all including public and private transporters, educational institutions as well as factories and other industrial unit holders.
The unified separatist leadership said public and private vehicular movement should not to be stopped after 10 pm to 7 am on all nights.