Future course of action to be taken after accessing ground situation: DIG North Kashmir
Srinagar: Two days after a youth was killed during the firing at North Kashmir’s Sopore and area continued to reel under the continuous curfew for the 2nd consecutive day , the authorities on Wednesday gave relaxation in the curfew.
Talking to KNS, SP Sopore Abdul Qayoom stated that relaxation in the curfew has been given, keeping in view the ground situation after two days. He stated that the police will monitor the situation for the night and that the future course of action shall be taken accordingly on Thursday morning.
According to the KNS north Kashmir correspondent, authorities on Wednesday had earlier imposed curfew like restrictions in Kashmir’s apple town to thwart any protest demonstration and ‘unlawful’ activities.
Reports maintained that concertina wires and barricades were put in place at various points of the area with several streets sealed by the authorities.
Huge deployment of police and other paramilitary forces was made in the region with the inner streets and main roads wearing deserted look.
Pertinently, a youth was killed and four others were injured on June 23 when security forces allegedly opened fire to disperse a protest rally following an encounter in Sopore town of Baramulla district.
A senior police officer had told KNS that group of youth had started pelting stones at security forces, who returning from Krankishivan Colony of Sopore after accomplishing an counter insurgency operation in which a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit was killed.
DIG North Kashmir Range Ghulam Hassan Bhat told KNS that the situation remained peaceful in Sopore and any decision on relaxation in curfew tomorrow will be taken only after assessing the situation.
Security forces had later allegedly opened fire to disperse the protesting youth, resulting in injuries to five of them, the sources said. They said one of the injured, Arshad Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Aziz Shah resident of Naseem Bagh succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital. Rest of the four who sustained injuries in the firing have been identified as Naseer Ahmad beigh son of Ghulam Mohiuddin a resident of Jamia Kadeem, Shahid Ahmad son of Kasim Ahangar a resident of Naseem Bagh, Ilyas Shalla son of Attaullah Shalla resident of Shalpora and Abid Gojri resident of Sopore. The situation in the area is tense as more people have taken to streets in protest against the killing.
Authorities have imposed a strict curfew in Sopore Wednesday for second consecutive day following killing of a youth on Monday while four others were injured. Reports said that troops have blocked roads with wooden poles and concertina wires to foil any protest march.