Mobs attack Police Stations, CRPF bunkers, Govt offices

Shutdown in Valley; Youth injured in firing at Kanikadal

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 7: Killing of four civilians in Police and CRPF firing at Palhalan yesterday led to a fresh wave of turbulence in Kashmir valley today as violent mobs clashed with armed forces at several places and attacked a number of Police Stations, CRPF bunkers and Government offices, amid total shutdown and undeclared curfew.

Notwithstanding the holiest day of the Islamic calendar---Shab-e-Qadr—people at hundreds of places all over the Valley staged protest demonstrations. While shouting anti-India, pro-Islam and pro-Azadi slogans, demonstrators registered their protest against the killing of four civilians in the shootout at Palhalan, Pattan, on Monday. Hundreds and thousands of the Kashmiris participated in the nightlong special prayers at the local mosques and shrines but scores on the streets staged political demonstrations and even clashed with Police and CRPF.

As per the separatist hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s calendar, today was day two of the three-day strike in Kashmir. In apprehension of violent reaction to the Pattan shootout, authorities had late last night imposed restrictions on the common civilian movement, locally known as “undeclared curfew” in entire capital city of Srinagar, besides all major townships. Government offices remained closed due to the gazetted holiday but business establishments and commercial transport did not operate anywhere in the Valley. Few vehicles were seen plying on roads. A many of these vehicles were damaged in stone pelting at severl places.

Reports said that Police and CRPF did not allow the people to assemble or make free movement. On the other hand, pro-Azadi groups enforced total shutdown with heavy stone pelting on the vehicles in movement. Though numbers were not available immediately, hundreds of vehicles and two-wheelers were estimated to have suffered damage.

Even Police did not spare hapless motorists. In reply to early morning stone pelting by residents of Khanpora, Budgam, Police thrashed the villagers wherever seen. Two brothers, namely Ghulam Hussain Bhat and Ali Mohammad Bhat of Khanpora, were stopped by Budgam Police at Ompora when they were returning to home in their Mauti van, JK04A-6569, this evening. Armed with guns and batons, Policemen thrashed the duo and smashed the windscreens and doors of the vehicle. Both were dragged out and detained at Police Station Budgam.

Reports said that more than 40 persons, including a dozen of Police and CRPF personnel, sustained injuries in scores of clashes between unruly groups and the armed forces. Fearing lethal retaliation, mobs have not been attacking vehicles, camps and convoys of regular Army. Here in the capital city, a youth was hit when a group of youngsters engaged Police in a fierce clash at Kanikadal in Srinagar. Aabid Ahmad Bazaaz son of Ghulam Jeelani resident of Kanikadal, sustined injury in his right leg. He was shifted to Bone and Joint Hospital.His condition was stated to be stable.

Independent reports said that demonstrators and thin unruly groups performed anti-India and pro-Azdi scenes at more than 200 places in Srinagar and the countryside today. They intermittently clashed with Police and CRPF. Over 40 persons were estimated to have sustained injuries in these clashes today. Reports said that relatively thicker crowds attacked Police Stations of Sopore, Karan Nagar and Nowhatta, old SP Office at Anantnag, DC’s office at Shopian as also more than four CRPF bunkers at different places.

Banks, ATMs, curbstones and tree-guards were damaged by unruly crowds at Humhama on Srinagar-Airport Road. Traffic remained intermittently disrupted on the airport road as clashed occurred at Rambagh, Barzalla, Parraypora, Hyderpora and Humhama. Traffic remained completely stalled on major roads and highways.

In contrast to recent past and 2008, stone pelters have not been targeting ambulances, essential service vehicles and media vehicles since July.

Official version

Situation across the valley remained by and large peaceful barring few stray incidents of stone pelting by miscreant groups at Singhpora, Tappar in Baramulla ,Chinkipora , Bomie in Sopore, Kangan Bazaar, near DC office in Shopian, Nowgam and Tengpora By pass in Srinagar.

A group of miscreants pelted stones on police station, Sopore who were chased away using mild lathi charge and tear smoke shells.

In the evening during withdrawl of deployments a mob of miscreants pelted stones on the security forces.Forces used tear smoke shells and later on pallets to disperse the frenzy mob.One person namely Aabid Ahmad Bazaaz son of Ghulam Jeelani resident of Kani kadal sustined injury in his right leg and has been shifted to Bone and Joint Hospital.His condition is stable.

During the intervening night of 6/7th Sept. huge groups of miscreants pelted stones and hurled petrol bombs on Police Station Nowhatta. Exercising maximum restraint Police chased them away. However, nine miscreants were arrested on spot in the incident.

In another incident in the night ,about 800 miscreants pelted stones police station Karan Nagar. Police chased them away in which two persons got injured. Among them one Asif Ahmed Bazaz r/o karan Nagar was shifted to B&J Hospital.

About 80 miscreants pelted stones on CRPF deployed at Budshah Chowk. They were chased away without any one being injured.

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Documents stolen from JK Bank Corporate Hqs?

Early Times Report

SRINAGAR, Sep 7: After receiving ‘reports’ that hours before tendering his resignation, former Chairman of J&K Bank, Haseeb Drabu, had conducted a secret midnight operation at the Corporate Headquarters, Police intelligence is burning midnight oil to find what a group of eight officials had done in their 5-hour-long exercise.

Well-placed authoritative sources told Early Times that CID of J&K Police and officials of Security Wing had been put on the job by “top government functionaries’ to investigate what Drabu and seven of his trusted colleagues had been doing at Corporate Headquarters of J&K Bank near the Tourist Reception Centre in the capital city during the night intervening Aug 26/27. According to “confidential reports” available with the government, eight officials of the bank reached the Corporate Headquarters at 0030 hours in two vehicles and returned only at 0530 hours.

The officials, familiar with the bank’s security staff, barged into the complex, and began searching for files and documents. Some of them copied and deleted data from computers. Some of them emerged out of the complex, carrying files and documents.

A senior Police official confirmed that CID and Security Wing were investigating as to what made the bank officials operate like burglars in the dead of the night, hours after Chairman Drabu had been asked to resign. On Aug 26, Commissioner-Secretary Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey, had appeared at the Corporate Headquarters and communicated the state government’s desire to Drabu. According to reports, Drabu sought some time and assured Pandey that he would be submitting his resignation to the bank’s Board of Directors on Aug 27th.

However, late that night, Chairman’s confidantes, led by their boss, walked into the complex secretly and performed an operation. Incharge of the bank’s security and retired SSP, Mr Haji, did not respond to phone calls when Early Times made attempts to learn whether Drabu and his men had really intruded into the complex, stolen documents and deleted data from computers.



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