Curfew imposed in several areas, clashes hurt 12
Srinagar: North Kashmir’s Bandipora continues to remain tense on fourth consecutive day with the clashes between protesters and forces injuring more than five people. Curfew was clamped in the area after the killing of 18-year-old Farhat Dar at district’s Naidkhai area four days ago.
According to the KNS correspondent, amid restrictions and curfew imposed by the authorities on Tuesday
at various areas in Bandipora district, people in large number took out protest marches at various places against the killing of Farhat Dar. Clashes between security forces and people erupted at various places including Hajin, Naidkhai and Sonawari. Youth hurled stones at deployment of forces that resulted in serious clashes.
To control the furious mob, police had to fire several rounds of bullets in air and tear gas shells, eyewitnesses said. The reports further informed that more than five persons were hurt in Tuesday’s clashes. Curfew was imposed in various areas of Bandipora including Shah Gund, Naidkhai, Hajin, Sumbal wherein a heavy deployment of forces was made to thwart any protest demonstration.
Reports informed that the people in large numbers at various places while breaking curfew raised pro-Islam and Azadi slogans. The protesters were also demanding the release of the detained youth who were arrested recently for protesting against Farhat’s killing.
The locals of various areas including Hajin accused that CRPF barged into peoples’ homes and harassed the inhabitants. The eyewitness stated that at Mir Mohalla and Dangar Mohalla Hajin, people were told to leave their respective houses and assemble at the main market. The locals while talking to KNS correspondent accused that CRPF thrashed them and also the women and aged people were beaten up to pulp in the area.
Later the clashes between forces and protesters erupted in the area with the hours long ding-dong battles. Forces later tried to disperse the protesters and fired tear gas shells and several bullets in air. The reports informed that the news that the inhabitants at Mir and Dangar Mohalla were thrashed by the forces reached Sadarkoot where people assembled in large numbers and protested against the incident. Stone pelting also erupted in the area leaving several injured.
Meanwhile, Huriyat Conference JK senior leader Shabir Ahmad Shah while condemning the police action at Bandipora stated that the locals are being tortured every day in the district and that if the same continues unchecked- the government will be solely responsible for repercussions of the same.
A police spokesman told KNS that situation by and large remained normal except for a few incidents of clashes at Hajin where few people received minor injuries. “The curfew was relaxed in Bandipora for few hours while as five or six people who received minor injuries at Hajin were given first aid,” said the police spokesman. (KNS)