Srinagar: Amid complete shutdown, massive clashes and protests broke out in Handwara areas of north Kashmir for the third consecutive day Thursday against the killings of four civilians by government forces.
Several civilians including some police men were injured in daylong clashes, witnesses said.
The district administration had imposed curfew in the town after apprehending protests against the killing of four civilians including an elderly woman while some parts of Srinagar city were also put under restrictions to avoid any untoward incident.
People assembled at Harpora, Baday Mohalla and other area and raised anti-forces slogans. Youth also clashed with police and para military forces, resulting in injuries to several civilians and some policemen, eye witnesses said.
Protests had erupted in Handwara town on Tuesday afternoon after an alleged molestation bid by an army man.
Locals defied the curfew in Banday Mohalla of Handwara town on Thursday resulting in clashes between protesters and forces in the area.
Scores of people defying curfew came out of their residences and started anti India sloganeering prompting police and forces contingent to retaliate by lathi charge however, they said that protesters pelted rocks on them resulting in heavy clashes, said eye witnesses.
Police used teargas shells to disperse the angry protesters.
Violent clashes were also going on in Harepora area of the town which is the native area of budding cricketer, Nayeem Qadir.
The civilian killings in Handwara evoked complete shutdown across Valley on Thursday.
The Srinagar district administration imposed strict curbs on movement of people in areas falling under six police stations in Old Srinagar to prevent protests over Handwara killings.
All commercial establishments in Srinagar and elsewhere are closed for the day while very thin traffic plied on Srinagar and other roads.
While public transport is off the roads, the citys commercial hub Lal Chowk wears a deserted look.
The Srinagar areas that remained under restrictions for the second day today included Mahrajgunj, Rainwarai, Safa Kadal, Nowhatta Khanyar and Maisuma.
Reports said clashes erupted in Habba Kadal between forces and youth. Police fired many tear-gas shells to disperse the protestors who were lobbing bricks and stones at the cops.
Reports reaching from Baramulla, Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Islamabad districts said complete shutdown was being observed there against the Handwara killings.
Authorities had made massive deployments of police and para-military forces places like Pulwama, Baramulla, Sopore and Kupwara towns to ensure that any law and order problem is not created.
Three persons including an elderly woman were shot dead by force on Tuesday while one youth was hit by tear gas shell fired by police in Drugmulla area on Wednesday. He later succumbed to his injuries, taking death toll to four.
Following clashes, the authorities snapped internet services in North Kashmir while the internet services in other parts has been downgraded.
The internet services were snapped first in North Kashmir areas and later the same were extended to other parts of Kashmir.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
