Kashmir Media Watch (KMW) is an electronic newspaper cum news agency

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Two more killed,Kashmir toll reaches 49

Srinagar, Aug 5(KMW)  : Troops and police shot dead another youth in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district while a middle-aged man injured in CRPF firing in old city of Srinagar last evening succumbed to injuries at the SMHS hospital. The latest deaths have taken the toll to 49 in nearly two months of unrest across the Valley.

Fifty-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Badyari injured in CPRF firing in Ganpatyar locality of old city last evening succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital on Thursday morning. His death sparked off fierce clashes in various parts of city.

At least two bullets fired by troops to disperse the protesters at Ganpatyar last evening pierced through the abdomen of Badyari when he was on his way to purchase essential commodities for the family. He was taken to the SMHS hospital where doctors put him on life support system. However, after night-long battle with life, he succumbed to injuries this morning.

When Badyari’s body reached his home this morning, several hundred men, women and children from Ganpatyar, Kralkhud, Chinkral Mohalla and adjoining areas defied the curfew and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations.

Hundreds of people participated in the funeral prayers of the slain man at main chowk Habba Kadal. Chanting “We want freedom,” “Salam-O-Martyrs,” “The Kashmir we have irrigated with our blood, that Kashmir is ours!”, “Go India Go Back,” the protesters tried to carry the body of the slain man towards the historic Martyrs graveyard at Eidgah in a procession. However, a contingent of CRPF men and police intercepted the procession. The protesters offered stiff resistance and dared the forces to shoot. The stand-off between protesters and forces ended after the intervention of senior citizens.

The forces escorted a few relatives and friends of the deceased towards the Eidgah cemetery.

The refusal to allow the procession by forces irked the people, particularly youth.

Shouting slogans against the CRPF and police, angry youth pelted rocks and stones on the heavily armed forces from lanes and by lanes of the congested Habba Kadal locality. Forces fired scores of rounds in air when they failed to disperse the protesting youth with tear gas canisters. Several tear smoke shells were also fired on the protesting women.

“They (forces) not only kill our innocent youth but prevent us from participating in the final rites. This is sheer arrogance of power,” Irfan Ahmad, a protester shouted.

“Heavens would not have fallen, if forces would have allowed us to Eidgah. CRPF and police force our youth to take up the stones,” he added.

As the news of the death of Habba Kadal man spread in the city, hundreds of people poured on to the streets and staged demonstrations. Shouting slogans, the people protested the unabated killings by armed forces.

At Zakura, forces resorted to cane charge and fired numerous tear smoke shells to quell scores of demonstrators who tried to attack a CRPF camp.

Baramulla: Youth shot at, 10 hurt in clashes

A youth identified as Tariq Ahmad, son of Nazir Ahmad Wani of Parraypora was critically injured when uniformed men opened fire upon a group of protesters near Delina this afternoon. The injured youth was rushed to Srinagar hospital for treatment.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of people protested across the North Kashmir district for the sixth consecutive day today against the civilian killings.

Press Bureau of India correspondent from North Kashmir said that defying curfew, hundreds of youth this morning came out on streets in Delina and old town areas and clashed with the forces. Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protesters engaged the forces in ding-dong battles.

In Sheeri, angry protesters stoned the cavalcade of special commissioner, North Kashmir, Mohammad Syed Khan when he was on way to Kaman bridge, Uri. The senior official, however, escaped unhurt.

In the neighboring Sopore town, hundreds of people of Khushaal Matoo and adjoining areas last evening night clashed with forces. At least ten people, reports said were wounded in the clashes that continued till late night.

Angry protesters also attacked police post Warpora.

Peaceful procession fired upon at Pulwama, 1 dead, 30 hurt

A youth was killed and thirty others injured when CRPF troops and police opened random fire and burst teargas canisters to disperse peaceful processions in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

30-year-old Shabir Ahmad, son of Abdul Aziz Malik of Lonepora was among twenty-five people injured when troops and police opened indiscriminate fire upon a procession near Degree College, Pulwama this evening. Four of the youth with bullet injuries were removed to Srinagar hospital for treatment. However, Shabir who was hit by a bullet in neck succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital.

The slain youth is said to be a taxi driver.

According to eyewitnesses, the procession comprising more than 30,000 people was on its way to the town after visiting Zadoora village, where ‘Rasm-e-Chaharum' of Muhammad Yaqoob Bhat, who was slain in CRPF and police firing on Sunday was being observed.

“We were on our way back from Zadoora, when troops and police intercepted the procession and resorted to ariel firing. We sat on the ground. However, minutes later, they (forces) opened random fire upon us,” Abdul Razzak, an elderly said.

“Forces have been given license to kill Kashmiris. We were not carrying stones and sticks but peacefully marching towards the town,” he added.

When the news of firing spread in the district, thousands of people came out on roads and staged demonstrations. Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protesters at Samboora clashed with the joint team of CRPF and police. Forces opened fire and burst tear smoke shells as protesters swelled in numbers and clashes intensified. At least ten people, two among them were critically injured in the forces action. The critically injured persons were rushed to Srinagar hospitals.

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