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| Curfew in Kashmir, 4 dead, dozens injured | | Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz among those killed in ‘Muzaffarabad Chalo’ march | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Aug 11
As the flames of fire emanating out of Jammu’s assertion agitation reached Srinagar, the Kashmir Valley today erupted into a deep trouble with four persons, including a prominent leader of the Hurriyat Conference being killed in Police fire after thousands of people including traders and fruit merchants led a march to Line of Control in a bid to cross over to the Muzaffarabad capital of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
The campaign launched by both factions of Hurriyat Conference and supported, among others, by the Peoples Democratic Party, was based on the allegations that the agitation in Jammu has blocked economic supplies to the Valley. This charge has been vehemently denied by the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti and also by the government which claimed that there was a smooth movement of trucks all along the National Highway from Lakhanpur to Srinagar.
Even though unconfirmed reports said that 50,000 to 100,000 lakh people marched towards the Line of Control and ten people were killed in the retaliatory fire but the government rubbishes all these claims. An official spokesman confirmed that not more than 1500 people had participated in the march in which only four persons were killed when the mob went berserk off Baramulla in North Kashmir.
The official spokesman said that the call for "march to Muzaffarabad" by Hurriyat Conference and some other organizations, processions were taken out from various areas whose number ranged from few hundred to 1500.
According to a police spokesman, police exercised utmost restrain in dealing with the processionists. However, at certain places, the processionists turned violent and damaged property. The mob burnt Police Station Sheeri and house of a police officer at Baramulla, attacked CRPF post at Baramulla bridge, attacked police station at Qamarwari and burnt at least two police vehicles at Delina.
At Chala, near Boniyar, police did not allow the processionists to march ahead. Even in the morning. The police had advised the people not to proceed beyond Baramulla and had sought their cooperation to maintain peace and order. However, the crowd did not relent and in order to disperse the unruly and violent mob, the police was forced to open fire.
The police spokesman confirmed the death of four persons including that of Hurriyat leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz. He alongwith Manzoor Ahmad were killed at Chala while one person each was killed at Delina and Qamarwari. They have been identified as Nazir Lone and Ishfaq Khan.
The police spokesman said that in today's violence, about 100 police and CRPF personnel have been injured including four seriously two of whom have been airlifted to Delhi for treatment. Meanwhile, curfew has been imposed in Srinagar city and other major towns of the valley as a precautionary measure.
Reports said that the Peoples League chairman Sheikh Abdul Aziz who joined thousands of marchers on the highway linking Srinagar to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, died at a hospital in Srinagar after being critically injured in police firing at Chahal village in Baramulla district. Doctors said the separatist leader died due to excessive blood loss.
Kashmir Fruit Growers Association, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Traders Federation, both factions of Hurriyat Conference and the PDP have given a call for Muzaffarabad chalo to neutralise the economic blockade of the Valley 'enforced' by the Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti, spearheading the Amarnath land stir.
Thousands of people assembled at fruit mandi Sopore and passed through the town towards Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road following a call given by separatist groups and traders' bodies, the sources said.
They said police and paramilitary forces fired in the air after lathicharge failed to disperse the protestors who pelted stones at the securitymen. Despite the firing in the air, the protestors continued their march, the sources said.
Meanwhile, top separatist leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, PDP leaders Abdul Aziz Zargar, Dilawar Mir and Nizamuddin Bhat were placed under house arrest on Sunday night as authorities made all out efforts to ensure that the proposed march to Muzaffarabad did not materialise.
Separatist leaders Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Mushtaqul Islam and Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi were picked up by police from different places in the Valley, the sources said.
In Sopore town, police deflated tyres of 200 trucks carrying fruits and used tear gas shells to disperse the agitating fruit growers trying to take out a cavalcade towards the PoK capital, they said. As the fruit growers refused to give in, police and paramilitary forces fired in the air to bring the situation under control, they said. More than 100 fruit growers were detained.
Protests were held at Palhalan in Pattan area of Baramulla district along the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, the sources said. The protestors were, however, chased away by police who had erected barriers at all entry and exits points of the city.
The streets of the city and other towns across the Valley wore a deserted look due to the stringent security measures. Shops, business establishments, schools and other educational institutions remained closed.
Hundreds of supporters of Mirwaiz Umer Farooq assembled at Rajouri Kadal near the headquarters of his Awami Action Committee in protest against their leader's house arrest. |
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