3 more civilians die in Valley clashes, over 150 injured
Railway station, Police station, IAF buses set on fire; SP among 150 injured

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Jul 31: State-enforced curfew, separatists-sponsored shutdown, violent clashes between rioters and Police and paramilitary forces marked the last day of this turbulent month as two more civilians died in CRPF firing and one among the youths, who had sustained gunshot wounds in a clash on Friday, succumbed to injuries today. Violent mobs today attacked 10 Police stations, set on fire a number of public properties including a Police Station at Kreeri, a railway station in Sopore and two buses of Indian Air Force in Pampore. With three persons dying and over 150 sustaining injuries in today’s clashes, as many as 23 civilians have lost life in the current spate of turbulence since June 11th.

Informed sources told Early Times that a 22-year-old fruit vendor, namely Javed Ahmed Teli S/o Ghulam Mohammad Teli R/o Bangla Bagh, Baramulla, was among 10 persons who sustained rubber bullet injuries during the fierce clash of an unruly mob with Police and CRPF at Baramulla. He was rushed to Srinagar and later this afternoon he succumbed to injuries at SKIMS Soura. Medical Superintendent of SKIMS, Dr Syed Amin Tabish, said that Teli died of critical gunshot injuries. He said that 25-year-old bakery worker, Nazir Ahmed Mir of Pahliheran Sheri, Baramulla, who had sustained critical injuries during a clash at Pattan yesterday, also breathed his last.

Father of one child, Nazir Ahmed Mir had been working at a bakery at Pattan, on Srinagar-Baramulla highway.

Sources said that a 20-year-old, namely Mudassar Ahmed Lone S/o Ghulam Mohammad Lone R/o Harpora Nayidkhai, got killed when a violent mob attacked headquarters of IRP 14th Bn at Nayidkhai---Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone’s residential village in Sumbal Sonawari---and Police opened fire. The unruly mob also attacked a Police post. Those injured in heavy stone pelting, included SP Bandipore, Sheikh Junaid Mehmood, who was hit in his head. Official sources said that nearly 30 persons, including 10 Police and CRPF personnel, sustained injuries in the two-hour-long violent clashes.

With two fatal casualties of the day and an injured dying at SKIMS, as many as 23 civilians have got killed in violent clashes between mobs and Police/CRPF in Kashmir valley since June 11th.

Dr Tabish said that four more of the critically wounded civilians were battling for life at ICCU of SKIMS tonight. They include a male and a woman, namely Haneefa, who has sustained gunshot wounds in her chest and neck during a clash between demonstrators and Police at Kreeri today. One Mohammad Iqbal Khan of Chhanpora, who had sustained critical injuries in the CRPF shootout yesterday, was also battling for life at SKIMS.

None of the Police officials responded to phone calls when repeated attempts were made to get official version of today’s incidents and the death toll. SSP Police Control Room Srinagar, Javed Farooqi, responded but maintained that he had no knowledge of the figures. “I don’t know how many people have died today as I am driving back to my home”, he said. An official release issued from Zonal Police Headquarters said that violent mobs attacked Police and CRPF camps besides public properties at several places including Kreeri, Amargarh, Nayiudkhai, Baramulla, Pantachowk, Pampore, Kakapora, Bijbehara and Sangham. It said that SP Bandipore and three Dy SPs were among a number of Police personnel and civilians who got injured in today’s clashes.

While curfew remained strictly in force in Srinagar and several other townships and the separatists’ call for complete shutdown evoked substantial response in rest of the Valley, violent crowds defied curfew at more than 40 places today. While shouting anti-India and pro-Azadi slogans, crowds trooped into the SOG camp and a Police Station at Kreeri in the morning. Police and CRPF opened fire after more than a dozen of them got injured in the attack. Sources said that the mob set SOG camp as well as a Police Station building besides several barracks of Horticulture Department on fire. At least four civilians, including two women, sustained gunshot wounds. They were rushed to Srinagar and admitted at SKIMS. One of them, namely Haneefa, was described as critical.

Sources said that immediately after the burial of two persons, who had got killed in a clash with CRPF yesterday, an 8,000-strong mob marched to the nearby Railway Station of Amargarh in Sopore outskirts today. The crowds ransacked the railway station and set on fire several buildings, inclduding residential quarters of the railway staff and their vehicles. The mob also torched a fire brigade vehicle and made bonfire of the uniforms of the railway Police.

Later in the day, violent mobs also attacked Police Stations at Potkhah, Chhoora, Baramulla, Pampore, Awantipore,Sangham, Bijbehara (also office of SDPO Bijbehara), all on the highway, besides some Police posts in Pulwama. Some CRPF bunkers were set on fire at Sangham. A violent mob also torched two buses of Indian Air Force near Pampore. However, Police swung into action and got the IAF staff rescued. Another crowd threw a petrol bomb on a Police vehicle at Samora Kakpora, near Pulwama, and it gutted completely.

Sources said that in all nearly 100 civilians and 50 Police and CRPF personnel, including one SP and three Dy SPs, got injured in today’s clashed at over 20 places in the Valley. Barring few incidents, like those of Nayidkhai and Kreeri, almost all the violent incidents took place on the usually safest Baramulla-Srinagar-Jammu highway. Official reports said that the unruly crowds felled trees and blocked the highway near Bijbehara. Almost all roads, including the highway, have been officially declared as “unsafe” for the movement of government vehicles. However, mobs have not so far attacked any of the convoys or patrols of regular Army.

While the authorities tonight announced continuation of curfew in Srinagar and several other towns, spokesman of Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference called for continued shutdown on August 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

END