#Day38: No End to killings in Valley, 2 more boys killed, Death Toll crosses 60 Mark

• Batamaloo boy killed in fresh firing, Tangmarg youth succumbs
• Death toll reaches 61 as unrest enters 39th day
• Over 50 civilians injured in clashes across Valley
• Bijbehara youth critical after being hit by tear smoke shell in head

A 17-year-old youth was killed on Monday after government forces opened fire in Batamaloo area of the city while another youth from Tangmarg, who had sustained pellet injuries in the head last Friday, succumbed, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest to 61.
Meanwhile, at least 50 protesters were injured during clashes at different places across Kashmir valley which has been reeling under unprecedented security lockdown for the last 38 days aimed to quell the protests triggered by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Yasir Ahmed of S D colony Batamaloo was shot in the chest and succumbed to the injury before reaching SMHS hospital. Local residents alleged that police and CRPF men opened fire to disperse the protesters besides using pellet guns and tear gas shells. As soon as the news of Yasir’s death spread, massive protests erupted in Batamaloo. The situation was tense in the area when reports last came in.
Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital, Dr Nazir Choudhary told Kashmir Post that he had a bullet injury in his chest and was brought dead to the hospital.
Locals alleged that men in uniform earlier in the day showered pellets and shells on protesters in which Yasir got seriously injured.
A youth from Tangmarg, Ishfaq Ahmad, who was hit by pellets in head last Friday, succumbed at SKIMS Soura this morning.
SMHS hospital received at least eight referral cases. Medical Superintendent, Dr Choudhary said a youth from Bijbehara area of south Kashmir was battling for life. The youth identified as Irfan Sofi was in critical condition after being hit by a tear smoke shell in his head. Thousands of Bijbehara residents took to streets after the news about Irfan’s injury spread in the area. Massive clashes were going on in the area till late evening.
Hundreds of people defied curfew to stage protests in different places across Valley. According to reports, six people sustained injuries in Pulwama. One of the injured Tariq Ahmed Dar of Malangpora Pulwama received bullet injury in his leg. He was rushed to Srinagar for treatment.
In Shopian, ten persons sustained multiple injuries in clashes with forces. Tral, the home town of Hizb commander Burhan Wani also remained tense and around 12 persons received injuries during clashes.
In Wokai area of district Kulgam, four persons received injuries when forces fired tear smoke shells and pellets on protesters.
Six persons were injured in Soibug area of Budgam district while four youth received injuries in Argam area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Trehgam and Lolab areas of Kupwara district also remained on boil and around ten persons were injured in clashes.
Massive processions were taken out from Shumnag, Trehgam, Sewer, Sogam and Handwara main town. According to reports, people were out on roads to prevent government officials from reaching the venue of the August 15 function. Clashes were going on in the area till last reports came in.
Clashes broke out in several areas of the city in the evening including parts of downtown Srinagar, HMT, Hyderpora, Humhama, Mander Bagh, Nowgam, Bemina, Saraibal, Amira Kadal, Maharaja Bazar, Karan Nagar and Soura.
The exact details of ground situation could not be verified properly due to the communication blockade imposed by the authorities in the valley.

Central Kashmir
In the curfew bound Srinagar district, protests erupted at five places, however they were dispersed by police and paramilitary forces. To thwart any protest demonstrations, the authorities deployed huge number of security personnel across the city and people were not allowed to come out of their houses.
In most parts of city, essentials were not available due to strict curfew.
Over a dozen protestors were injured, two of them critically, when paramilitary personnel resorted to pellet firing in Aripanthan Beerwah village of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Residents alleged that a police party smashed windows of residential houses at Aripanthan village. They said that large contingent of CRPF personnel arrived on spot while the youth pelted stones on them. The CRPF personnel fired pellets and tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters. At least 12 persons were injured in CRPF action. Two protesters Adil Ahmed and Ghulam Muhammad Bhat received pellets in the face and were shifted to SMHS hospital, reports said.
In Ganderbal district, peaceful protests were held at five places. Police bust tear smoke shells to disperse the youth, however none was injured.

South Kashmir
A youth identified as Irfan Ahmed Sofi son of Bashir Ahmed Sofi was hit by a teargas shell in head during clashes in south Kashmir’s Jablipura village in Bijbehara area of curfew bound Anantnag (Islamabad)district , reports said. He was rushed to SKIMS in a critical condition.
Soon after the incident clashes between police and protesters erupted and were going on when this report was being filed.
Reports said that at least 12 persons were injured when police and paramilitary forces opened fire at protesters in Batpora and Midoora villages in south Kashmir’s Tral area on Monday. One has received bullet injury and he has been shifted to Srinagar hospital. A report said two dozen people have pellet injuries.
Six protesters, reports said, were injured at Dailpora in Shopian, when police used force to quell them. The protesters pelted stones on Police Post Keegam. At Memender, reports said the protesters assembled on road and pelted stones on the police and army. At Balpora, Shopian, scores of youth pelted stones upon an army camp.
Reports of protests were also received from Kokernag, Ashmuqam and some other areas of Anantnag district.
Protests also erupted in curfew bound Kulgam and Pulwama districts, leaving about two dozen people injured in police action.

North Kashmir
Amid strict curfew, reports said that scores of youth clashed with police and paramilitary forces in Nathpora area of Bandipora district on Monday. They said that police and paramilitary personnel burst tear smoke shells and used pellets to disperse the protesters.
The police action led to intense clashes that left over dozen persons injured.
In the Bandipora district, protests and clashes also erupted at Aragam. The protesters assembled and pelted stones on Police Station Aragam.
Reports reaching here from Potkhah area of Sopore in Baramulla district said that hundreds of people assembled on the road and pelted stones on police post Potkhah.
Reports of protests were also received from Trehgam, Kralpora, Langate , Handwara, Lalpora and several other areas of district Kupwara.
In the curfew bound Baramulla, police sealed all the bridges in the town to thwart any protest demonstration.

Chenab Valley Observes Black Day
In protest against the unabated civilian killings, all the major towns of Chenab Valley and Pir Panchal regions in Jammu observed August 15 as Black Day.
Reports said that members of Muslim community neither participated in I-Day celebrations nor opened up their shops in Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Doda, Thathri, Gath and Gandoh areas, in response to the shutdown call given by different local Muslim organizations including Anjuman Islamia Bhaderwah, Seerat Committee Doda, Anjuman Islamia Gandoh, Markazi Majlis-e-Shoura Kishtwar and Masjid Committee Thathri.

Police Version
According to a police spokesman, five incidents of stone pelting were reported from Shopian, Sopore and Bandipora.
“Restrictions under section 144/CrPC remained in force in the Valley while as curfew was imposed in some parts of Srinagar and in the towns of Anantnag and Sopore. In Shopian district miscreants pelted stones on Police Post Keegam, at Memender the miscreants assembled on road and pelted stones on security force deployments. At Balpora, Shopian miscreants pelted stones upon an army camp,” he said.
“At Aragam, Bandipora miscreants assembled and pelted stones on Police Station Aragam. At Pothkhah, Sopore about 250 miscreants assembled on the road and pelted stones on Police post Potkhah. At Trehgam, Kupwara miscreants pelted stones on Police and security force deployment,” the spokesman said, adding that despite provocation forces exercised restraint to contain the situation.