Nocturnal raids in Pulwama, Youth beaten to pulp, Nightlong protests rock Tral

A youth was critically injured after army allegedly tortured him in custody in Tral area of Pulwama district on Sunday.
Sheikh Murtaza Bashir, 29, according to his family members, was called to 42RR camp in Nader village of Tral to collect his identity card taken by army following stone-pelting protest yesterday.

A witness said the incident had occurred in village Batagund, where soldiers allegedly snatched the identity proofs of many youth. “The youth were asked to collect the IDs from the 42 RR camp,” he said.
“After Murtaza went there to collect his ID, he was tortured inside the camp,” the family said.
Murtaza was shifted to Sub-district hospital Tral for treatment where from he was referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment. Hospital sources said that he has developed multiple fractures. Repeated attempts to reach out to Army officials for comments didn’t fructify.

Meanwhile, Shopian areas observed complete shutdown against the injuries caused to women protesters yesterday. A source said that people blocked Kulgam-Anantnag road against the alleged arrest of youth. Earlier, protests were held at Churath in Kulgam district of South Kashmir against the arrest of local youth, the source said.
Witnesses said that soldiers barged into residential houses in Lajoora and Gangoo villages of Pulwama district on Saturday night. “When people were out on roads to see Burhan’s picture on moon, soldiers reached Lajoor and Gangoo villages triggering clashes. After clashes, they allegedly ransacked many houses,” a group of villagers alleged.

After stringent curbs on Saturday, night long protests rocked Tral hamlet in Pulwama district amid pro-freedom taranas reverberating from various mosques.
“Soon after the withdrawal of forces from Tral areas on Saturday evening, there were protests in various areas including Nawdal, Nazneenpora, Naibugh, Buchoo, Dadsara and Shariefabad and mosques reverberated with pro-Burhan and pro-freedom taranas,” a source said.

Another witness said after late night rumours about Burhan’s picture on the moon, hundreds of youth including women hit the streets and started clicking photographs. “Everybody could be seen gluing their eyes at the moon while many youth were seen capturing the sight in their mobile phones,” he said.
People were seen on streets in Tral, Awantipore, Bijbehara, Tahab, Pulwama, Pampore and many areas of South Kashmir districts. “I got a call from my friend late in the evening. He told me that Burhan’s picture has surfaced on the moon. When I ventured out of my home, I saw hundreds of people looking at the moon,” said Muhammad Yasin a resident of Pampore.
Meanwhile, a witness said that the graveyard, where Burhan is laid to rest, continued under siege on Sunday. “There was no change in the deployment of forces in and outside the graveyard. Nobody was allowed to enter inside the graveyard,” he said. He said Tral observed a shutdown though there were no restrictions imposed by the authorities.

Cop Injured
A policeman was injured in a grenade blast in Tral area of Pulwama district late Saturday night. An official said that militants lobbed a grenade at a police post in Aripal village of Tral last night, leaving a cop injured. The injured was shifted to a hospital for treatment, he said.