Kashmir shuts against Shopian teen’s killing

• 15 injured in clashes
• Prayers disallowed in Jamia Masjid
• Malik detained; Geelani, Mirwaiz under house arrest

At least 15 persons were injured in fresh clashes across Kashmir on Friday, even as the Valley observed a complete shutdown against the recent raids on pro-freedom activists and businessmen by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and the killing of 19-year-old Adil Farooq by government forces at Ganapora, Shopian earlier this week. The call for shutdown and peaceful protests was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.
Stringent restrictions remained in place in Rainawari, Safa Kadal, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Maharaj Gunj, Kralkhud and Maisuma areas of Srinagar. The All Party Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest.

“There was a heavy deployment of forces everywhere in Downtown Srinagar. No one was allowed to venture out. Those who tried to proceed towards Jamia Masjid to offer Friday prayers were pushed back by the forces,” said Riyaz Ahmed of Nowhatta.
Police had erected barricades and rolls of concertina wire to prevent people from reaching Jamia Masjid.
‘Mouazin’ of the Masjid, Muhammad Yasin, said it is for the first time since 2010 uprising that Jamia Masjid was locked by forces during Ramadhan.

A witness said a teenage boy was hit by a teargas shell in his head during clashes at Chattabal area of Srinagar. He was identified as Obaid Nazir, 14. “He was immediately moved to SMHS hospital where his condition was stated as stable,” he said.
Another witness said a group of youth appeared at main chowk Kangan in Ganderbal district after Friday prayers and resorted to stone-pelting on government forces. Police swung into action immediately and chased them away.

Malik Detained
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Muhammad Yasin Malik surfaced at Iqra Masjid at Sarai Bala, Srinagar after Friday prayers. As soon as Malik tried to lead a protest march towards Lal Chowk, a contingent of police whisked him away. He was lodged at police station Shaheed Gunj along with Front leaders Noor Muhammad Kalwal and Zahoor Ahmed, a JKLF spokesman said.
Soon after Malik, who had gone into hiding yesterday, was arrested, youth fought pitched battles with forces personnel who used tear smoke shells and stun grenades to disperse the protestors.
Talking to media before his arrest, Malik said: “The NIA raids were conducted because they think we are wealthy people. But the leaders are honest and this is an indigenous movement. Our youth are sacrificing their lives for our future.”
Malik said: “Police has started entering Masjids now; they are promoting RSS agenda here. They (policemen) should stop wearing uniform and put on RSS dresses.”
He warned police of “social boycott”, saying they should come out of this “hooliganism.”
The Front spokesman said despite all “oppressive tactics”, JKLF leaders Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Ghulam Rasool Dar (Eidi), Javed Zargar, Mushtaq Ajmal, Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Bashir Ahmad Kashmiri, Muhammad Siddeq, Ashraf-Bin-Salam, Professor Javed and others managed to reach Sarai Balla.
Earlier addressing a gathering at Masjid Iqra, Malik termed NIA raids “a ploy to defame and defeat resistance movement and sabotage Kashmiri economy.”
Dozens of youth were injured, four of them seriously during clashes at Anantnag. A youth sustained severe eye injury as intense clashes broke out in Anantnag town after Friday prayers. As the congregational prayers ended, youth took to streets and staged a massive pro-freedom demonstration. The protesters tried to march towards Lal Chowk but were stopped by police and paramilitary forces. The forces lobbed tear shells on the protesters who in turn retaliated by hurling stones and bricks, triggering clashes. Soon, the clashes spread to other old town areas of Reshi Bazar, Mattan Adda, Dangerpora and Kadipora. The government forces also were seen throwing stones and using sling-shots to disperse the protesting youth. The clashes continued till late in the evening, with reports of eye injury to one youth.
“We received four injured youth. The first one was hit by (marble) stone in right eye while two others were hit by pellets in eyes and referred to Srinagar. The fourth one had pellets on his body and is being treated here,” a doctor at district hospital told Greater Kashmir.
A witness said the injured youth was hit in eye with a marble used in the sling. “Several other youth also received minor injuries but were treated locally at medical shops,” he said. Many injured were treated locally.
Meanwhile, chairman of Ummat-e-Islami, Qazi Ahmed Yasir was detained from his residence at Qazi Mohallah after the conclusion of Fajr (morning) prayers. Pertinently, Yasir has been detained for the fourth time in less than a month. He has been lodged in Police station Sadr, Anantnag, an Ummat-e-Islami spokesman said.
Forces resorted to aerial firing when youth pelted the government forces with stones at Chewa Kalan village in Pulwama district this afternoon. “Some youth also burst firecrackers,” locals said.
The forces fired several rounds in air to disperse the youth.
When contacted, senior superintendent of police Pulwama Choudary Aslam said: “Some youth pelted the forces with stones but forces did not resort to aerial firing.”
Contingents of police and paramilitary forces were deployed at various places to thwart protests in Shopian town, locals said. But, they said, clashes broke out in Bonabazar, Ganawpora and main town where two youth sustained injuries. Mild clashes between forces and youth were reported from Delow and Kakapora areas.
Protests erupted in Tral area of Pulwama district soon after Friday prayers ended. Scores of youth assembled outside Khankah Faiz Panah and marched towards the bus stand Tral. Meanwhile, clashes erupted between protestors and government forces at court road. Protesting youths pelted stones at 180 Gulf Company of paramilitary CRPF stationed in the town. Amid protests and clashes, a complete shutdown was observed across the town as shops, business establishments were shut and no transport movement was seen on the roads.
While Baramulla district observed a complete shutdown on the call of Joint Resistance Leadership, Sopore town witnessed clashes after a group of youth tried to march towards the main chowk soon after offering Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, Sopore. The youth were not allowed by policemen to move forward, triggering clashes. Police lobbed scores of teargas shells to disperse the agitating youth and clashes continued for some time in the area.
Meanwhile, reports of complete shutdown were received from other parts of the district which include Pattan, Palhallan, Wagoora, Kreeri, Naarwaw, Rafiabad and Tangmarg. In Bandipora, clashes erupted in Hajin area after Friday prayers.
A witness said scores of youth assembled in Hajin chowk soon after culmination of Friday prayers and hurled stones on the forces. “The forces responded by firing tear smoke shells to disperse the youth, triggering clashes,” he said.
Meanwhile, residents of Ajas offered funeral prayers in-absentia for Shopian youth who was killed in forces’ firing on Tuesday evening.

2 Specially – Abled Persons Beaten To Pulps
Two specially-abled persons were beaten to pulp by government forces in Shopian district after Friday prayers.
A witness said youth clashed with government forces near Tak Masjid Chowk and Bongam Chowk after Friday prayers.
“Two physically-challenged persons were basking near Bonbazar Chowk when a police patrolling party while chasing protesters caught hold of them and beat them up ruthlessly,” he said.
“Forces broke two teeth of a deaf and dumb youth,” the witness said, adding he was rushed to a private clinic.
The incident triggered massive protest against forces in the area.

Police Version
A police spokesman said barring baring five stray incidents of stone throwing, situation across Kashmir remained peaceful and under control. “After Friday prayers, stone throwing incidents were reported from Memender, near Mini-Secretariat in Shopian, near Reshmoual Sahib Shrine in Anantnag, Near Jamia Masjid in Kupwara and at main Chowk Sopore,” the spokesman said. “At these places miscreants in their attempt to disrupt the situation pelted stones on police and security forces deployment. The deployment used maximum restraint and chased the miscreants away. Near Reshmoul Sahib a boy identified as Faizan Ahmad Sheikh son of Gul Muhammad a resident of S.K Colony Anantnag received stone injury on his right eye. He was shifted to SMHS, Hospital Srinagar where his condition is said to be stable.”