Srinagar, June 29: The Indian Kashmir continues to be on boil over the killing of five innocent civilians by Indian paramilitary soldiers in last four days with the unrest spreading in more areas. Authorities have clamped curfew in some more areas and deployed army on sensitive spots to tackle the situation.
Indian Paramilitary troops stop a motorcycle in Srinagar
At least five innocent unarmed protestors including a 9-year-old boy have died in paramilitary soldiers firing in Sopore and Baramulla areas in North Kashmir since Friday (Jun 25). The killings have further roused the anti-India sentiments and triggered massive anti-India and pro-freedom demonstrations.
The authorities have already imposed curfew in Sopore and Baramulla in North Kashmir to prevent people there from taking to roads and staging pro-freedom demonstrations. The restrictions were tougher today as hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers and assisted by army men did not allow anybody to venture out of their homes. People even were not allowed to purchase bakery, daily need items, milk, vegetables and medicines.
The authorities even snapped telephone and mobile communications in North Kashmir. People of entire North Kashmir have been disconnected from rest of the Kashmir and are inaccessible since yesterday evening when the mobile services were blocked.
A top government functionary while confirming the blocking of mobile service said it has been done on the instructions of the Kashmir government. “The ban has been imposed to stop rumour mongering,” he said.
The government has also stopped Short Messaging Service (SMS) across Indian Kashmir.
The authorities also imposed curfew in five police stations in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir to thwart protests and prevent people from taking to roads and staging demonstrations. In other parts of Srinagar, hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers were deployed with riot gears and they were not allowing assembly of more than four persons.
However, defying restrictions youth took to roads at Maisuma, Zaldager, Galwanpora, airport road, Nund Resh Colony, Boatman colony in Bemina, Batmaloo and HMT Zainakote and staged pro-freedom demonstrations. Chanting pro-freedom, pro-Islamic, anti-India and anti-paramilitary forces slogans, the protestors were demanding “freedom from Indian occupation”. They were also demanding removal of army and paramilitary soldiers from Kashmir and punishment to the soldiers who have been responsible for killing unarmed and innocent civilians.
The protestors clashed with police and paramilitary soldiers, who tried to intercept them. The cops fired dozens of tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse the agitating people, who retaliated by hurling bricks and stones towards them. At least a dozen persons were injured in the clashes.
Meanwhile, unrest spread to South Kashmir’s Islamabad township, where hundreds of people took to roads on Tuesday morning to protest the killing of civilians in police and paramilitary soldiers firing. Chanting slogans like, “We Want Freedom, “Go India Go”, “Stop Killings and HR violations in Kashmir”, the protestors tried to take out a protest at Islamabad town, some 65 kms south of Srinagar.
They were intercepted by police and paramilitary soldiers, who resorted to heavy tear gas shelling and baton charge. As the protestors stood their ground and wanted to move ahead, the police and paramilitary soldiers fired directly on the crowd, injuring three protestors. All the three received bullet injuries and have been shifted to different hospitals for treatment. The condition of one of the injured youth Irshad Ahmad was stated to be critical.
The firing on unarmed protestors further added to the anger and triggered more protest demonstrations in South Kashmir, prompting authorities to enforce curfew in the entire township. Hundreds of police and paramilitary soldiers assisted by army were patrolling the roads and enforcing curfew.
The separatists have called for shutdown till June 30 (Wednesday) to protest against the wanton use of force by police and paramilitary soldiers and against the killing of innocent civilians.
Authorities have arrested almost all the top senior separatist leader including 80-year old Syed Ali Geelani while moderate separatist leader and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been placed under house arrest.
In a related development, Chief Minister of the region Omar Abdullah Tuesday deputed a team of ministers to North Kashmir to review the situation and interact with members of civil society to restore peace and normalcy.
“The team would invite the suggestions from members of civil society, senior citizens besides holding discussions with the district administration to take measures for bringing back normalcy in Baramulla and Sopore towns and adjacent areas,” an official spokesman said.
