In wake of continuous curfew and shutdown life was completely disrupted in Kashmir for the consecutive 40th day on Wednesday.
Pertinently, Kashmir is under curfew after the death of Hizbul Mujhadeen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 triggered a wave of protests. More than sixty people have died and thousands injured in clashes with troops that began on July 9.
Separatists had urged people to march towards the United Nations (UN) office in Srinagar to remind the world body of its responsibility of stopping the killing of civilians during government force firing in Kashmir.
Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the agitation had also urged the people to hold a 72-hour-long sit-in protests, wherever they are stopped from marching towards the UN office.
Reports said that large contingent of police and Para-military troops had been deployed in and around the UN office Sonawar. Barricades and barbed wires had been erected at different points to restrict the movement of the people.
Eyewitnesses told CNS that amid curfew and restrictions scores of people held a sit-in in Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar city. They added that people came out of their homes and held the sit-in near Ansari Chowk Khanqah-e-Sookhta, under the leadership of Hurriyat (M) leader Masroor Ansari. The protesters who raised anti-India and pro-freedom slogans were stopped from proceeding towards UN office Sonawar. Police according to eyewitnesses arrested Masroor Ansari and some of his associates and lodged them in nearby police station.
Police also foiled a march in Brein Nishat where a large number of people tried to proceed towards UN office Sonawar. The intervention from police irked protesters who resorted to stone-pelting, prompting government forces to use tear-smoke shells. Locals alleged that government forces resorted to intense tear-smoke shelling and besides they fired pellets upon protesters resulting in the injuries of at least 10 protesters.
Reports said that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was arrested when he marched towards United Nations office in Srinagar. A spokesperson from Hurriyat Conference (M) was whisked away in a police jeep to Police Station Nigeen after he walked out of his residence towards UNMOGIP.
Police also detained Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani when he tried to march towards the UN Office in Sonawar. Witnesses said that Geelani along with his associates tried to march towards the UN Office. However, a large posse of police which remain deployed there, didn’t allow him to move and detained him soon after he stepped out from his home-cum-office at Hyderpora.
Police foiled a march from people in Dalgate area of Srinagar city. Protesters carrying placards and banners staged a sit-in after police didn’t allow them to proceed towards UN office.
Scores of people held a sit-in at Batamaloo here after they were not allowed to proceed towards the UN office at Sonwar.The protest march was stopped near Astania Aliya where people staged a sit-in.The protesters carried banners and placards, reading: “Freedom only solution, Nothing less than Azadi acceptable.”
A procession was carried out by a large number of women in Pattan town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district while in Palhalan several persons were injured during the clashes between protesters and government forces.
At Yaripora, a pro freedom rally was organized by different religious organizations. The rally amid pro-freedom slogans culminated peacefully. (CNS)
