news details |
|
|
| Authorities impose curfew in Lolab-Kupwara following strong protests | | 10 persons including 6 photographers injured | | Syed Tahir Bukhari
BARAMULLA, Feb 25: At least 10 persons were injured injuries after protests broke out in the Lolab area of North Kashmir's Kupwara district. The protesters were demanding bodies of the seven militants who were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Dardpora forests on Monday. Reports reaching here said scores of civilians in the Lolab area came out of their houses and raised slogans while demanding bodies of the militants killed in Monday's encounter. The people attacked the Lolab police post and ransacked it. The protesters attacked two police posts and set them ablaze. The situation turned volatile in the area and the authorities were forced to impose restrictions in the entire Lolab area. Police used force and lobbed smoke shells on the protesters in order to disperse them. Six photographers associated with various local and national dailies were also injured in the protests. The protesters also burnt some of the vehicles in the area and had the restrictions not been imposed the situation may have turned out to be worse.
Sources in the police said that thousands of locals assembled outside the police station at Lolab in Kupwara District, 120 km from Srinagar, and demanded that they be shown the bodies of the slain ultras. The residents wanted to ascertain if there were any locals among the slain militants.
"As the authorities turned down the demand, the agitated residents started pelting stones at the police station. The mob also set on fire two sentry posts of the police station following which police used tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors," said sources. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Lalpora-Kupwara, Mittal told Early Times that the situation was brought under control after the police allowed a group of elders to see the bodies. The bodies were later on handed over to local Auqaf for burial. "Seven unidentified militants, all believed to be foreigners, were killed in an encounter with army and police in Dardpora forests of Lolab on Monday. Police had to impose curfew in the area under section 144," said DSP Mittal. He said the militants had recently infiltrated into the valley. The photographers injured in the protests were Firdous Ahmad of Kashmir Times, Mohammad Amin War of The Tribune, Tajamul Islam of Rising Kashmir, Nisar Malik of Kashmir Reader, Mubashir Khan of News 24 and Abid Nabi of Daily Excelsior.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
