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| EXEMPLARY STRIKE, MASSIVE PROTESTS IN ENTIRE KASHMIR | | 60 injured, 35 arrested; photojournalists also targeted | |
Srinagar, Sept 29: Amidst an exemplary general strike and massive protests across the Kashmir Valley against the death sentence of Mohammad Afzal Guru, the entire region remained tense on Friday and the ding dong battles between Police and the protesters at different places in Kashmir inflicted injuries on at least 60 persons–including 10 policemen, while some 35 protesters were arrested.
In a separate incident at Jama Masjid, Nowhatta, Srinagar, paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force personnel beat up photojournalists performing their professional duties while covering a massive protest there. At least a dozen photojournalists, two among them critically, were injured in CRPF action. They were immediately rushed to hospital for treatment.
Fearing trouble the authorities, as usual, had placed Syed Shah Geelani, chairman of a faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference and chief of Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Ahmad Shah, under house arrest.
Shah told 'KIP' on phone: "We have been protesting since last three days and I thank Kashmiri people for registering their strong protests and I salute their courage to come on streets despite dangers involved." Shah hoped that the verdict against Guru will be reviewed, as he believed Guru is innocent and has been falsely implicated.
In Sopore–the hometown of Guru, thousands of people took out a protest demonstration while as it was for the first time in 17 years of armed conflict that people in Uri hamlet observed a protest strike in unison with Kashmir.
Protesters in Srinagar set on fire the effigy of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the tricolor.
In the morning supporters of Peoples Conference staged a demonstration in the heart of Srinagar. Wearing blue colored headbands, the protesters wanted to submit a memorandum at 'United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan' office, Sonwar but Police did not allow them to go beyond the Regal Chowk.
Soon after Friday prayers, a huge protest demonstration was taken out from Jama Masjid and things seemed uncontrollable at one moment for the Police, which forced them to open fire and resort to 'lathicharge' and firing tear smoke canisters.
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehraie, chairman of Muslim League, Masarat Alam and JKLF's chief Mohammad Yasin Malik were successful in reaching Guru's hometown to stage separate protest demonstrations.
Malik, who led a huge demonstration in Duabgah, Sopore on his return to Srinagar late in the evening later told 'KIP': "Kashmiris have been registering their protesting against the death penalty verdict from the last three days in a democratic manner, and I believe Indian government should take note of these demonstrations," adding, "JKLF, in principle, is against the capital punishment. In case of Sarabjeet Singh of Punjab we had appealed President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf to grant clemency to him."
Authorities have clamped night curfew in the entire frontier Kupwara district.
Leader of the breakaway faction of JKLF Javed Ahmad Mir led a protest demonstration at Nowhatta.
In a press release late evening, CRPF has regretted the incident, which took place at Nowhatta and the force has placed the "culprit" personal under suspension.
"Senior officers immediately reached on the spot and met the media people. The constable who has been identified to have hit the press photographer Sajjad Hussain has been placed under suspension and departmental action has been initiated against him," the press release said.
JOURNALSITS INJURED:
At least eight journalists- two of them seriously- were wounded when paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel swooped on them while covering a protest demonstration outside Jama Masjid in summer capital Srinagar of Indian administered Kashmir.
As a group of journalists was busy in discharging professional duties outside Jamia Masjid where a huge protest demonstration was being held against the death penalty verdict for Mohammad Afzal Guru-the prime accused in Indian Parliament attack case of 2001, the CRPF personnel posted there not only stopped them from doing so but also beat them up ruthlessly.
"They even aimed their guns at us" said one them. This resulted in injured to several journalists whose equipment was also damaged. The injured journalists were admitted to hospital. Sajjad Hussain and Tauseef Mustafa of AFP received serious injuries. Rouf Maqbool also received injuries.
Farooq Javed, president of photogrphers association in Kashmir said that the CRPF troopers started beating up photojournalists when they asked troopers not to hurl stones on some civilian vehicles passing by. "We just asked them not to pelt stones and in turn they started beating us," Khan said.
"Some blamed us of being supporters of Pakistan," said another photojournalist.
Soon after the incident photojournalists registered their protest before higher ups of CRPF.
On hearing about the incident Inspector General of CRPF A P Maheswari rushed to the spot and regretted the incident. "I have taken serious note of the incident and placed under suspension constable Ram Nivas and have also ordered an inquiry into the incident after talking to media-persons who showed me clippings" he said.
Disciplinary action has also been initiated against the Platoon Commander incharge. For future, Mr Maheshwari said that a person will be exclusively deployed with every CRPF column on duty to facilitate the work of media-persons. Kashmir Press Photographers Association has condemned the incident. However, KPPA president Farooq Javed expressed satisfaction over the action initiated by IG CRPF.
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