Three more protesters were killed and nearly 40 wounded when security forces fired live ammunition to quell rock-throwing crowds at five different places across the Kashmir Valley on Friday, raising the toll to 99 since June 11. Fifteen policemen were injured in mob violence, officials said.
The Army was seen out in the streets is several parts of the curfew-bound Valley, including securing the 10-km road to the airport here. The Army has stepped in as part of a new strategy to frustrate the separatist Hurriyat Conference’s fresh calendar of protests, including asking the people to stage sit-ins in front of Army camps across the state on September 21.
But Syed Ali Shah Geelani, leader of his faction of the Hurriyat, who was placed under house arrest two days ago, said on Friday he has withdrawn the plan as he does not want to give the Army an “excuse to go in for the massacre of people”. He alleged, “I had asked the people to hold peaceful sit-ins in front of the Army camps in their respective areas but it seems to me the Army is preparing ground for carnage and that is why it is falsely claiming that I want people to attack its camps and convoys.”
The Army had earlier once again appealed to the people to ignore Geelani’s diktat even as he had pledged the protests would be peaceful and elders of respective areas would hand over a letter to Army officials urging them to leave Kashmir as, he alleged, they are not welcome by the people and have, in fact, forcibly occupied the territory. The Army termed the call a deliberate attempt to embroil it in the ongoing agitation and distract it from its primary role.
Reports received here from different parts of the Valley said huge crowds chanting “We want freedom” and “Go India, go back” clashed with the CRPF and local police at a number of places on Friday, spiralling only in some parts after the weekly congregational prayers at locality mosques, including at Padgampora, Awantipora, Sopore, Shopian and Baramulla. The security forces swung bamboo sticks and fired teargas canisters and pellet guns to disperse the crowds when they turned violent and began hurling rocks at them. Twelve protesters were injured.
At Shirmal, in southern Shopian district, a mob set fire to three Forest Protection Force huts. The security forces opened fire, wounding three persons. One of them, identified as Imtiyaz Ahmed Malla, later succumbed. Fifteen policemen were injured in this incident, officials said.
Earlier on Friday, the police and CRPF opened fire at over a dozen persons. Two of them, identified as Fayez Ahmad Dar and Ghulam Mohammad Butt, died on the way to hospital, officials said. Protesters set ablaze one shop belonging to the family of a policeman at Singpora, Baramulla, they added.
Slogan-chanting crowds defied curfew and held protests at a number of places in Srinagar city. The security forces responded by using force but no casualties were reported.
Curfew remained in force in the border towns of Mendhar and Poonch in Jammu division on Friday for the third and fourth straight day respectively. Curfew was imposed in Mendhar town on Wednesday after three persons were killed and 13 others injured in police firing on a crowd comprising mainly students protesting the reported desecration of the holy Quran in the US whereas Poonch town was brought under curfew on Tuesday after violent protests in which over 20 people, including four policemen, were injured.
Neighbouring Rajouri and the hilly towns of Doda, Kishtwar and Banihal remained shut against the killings in Mendhar and in the Kashmir Valley whereas Muslims held protest demonstrations at Talab Khatikan and some other parts of Jammu after Friday prayers.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah reached Jammu Friday evening and reviewed developments and law and order in the division at a meeting with senior security and civil administration officials.