1 killed, 2 injured in evening clashes
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
Srinagar, Aug 4: At the end of a day of uneasy calm in Valley, violent demonstrators humbled hardliner separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani by attacking two CRPF posts in the capital city in Bemina and Habbakadal areas late this evening.
Informed sources said that late tonight, violent mobs from different directions converged at Nunrishi Colony in Bemina outskirts of this capital city and launched a fierce attack on a CRPF post. After CRPF failed to disperse the crowds with teargas, it opened fire. Two persons sustained injuries and one of them later died at hospital.
Officials confirmed the shootout and said that one among the mob, namely Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat, got killed. He is the 47th civilian to have died in clashes with Police and CRPF in Kashmir since June 11th.
Sources said that another civilian was hit in his leg in the shootout at Nundrishi Colony. He was rushed to hospital for treatment.
Sources said that another civilian was critically hit in his abdomen when another violent mob attacked CRPF guarding a temple at Ganpathyaar in Habbakadal locality of Srinagar interior. Sources said that CRPF opened fire and repulsed the attack. Situation was reportedly tense in several localities in Srinagar as anti-India and pro-Azadi slogans were going on loudly on public address system of local mosques.
END
No shootout after ‘shoot-at-sight’ orders in Kashmir
Geelani reaches back to his home, calls for ‘only peaceful’ demonstrations
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Aug 4: Media hype to “shoot-at-sight” orders today led to a situation in which Police and paramilitary forces had no occasion to open gunfire as the angry Kashmiris remained confined to their homes and did not clash with the authorities anywhere in the Valley. It was, thus, after several days of turbulence that not a single shot was fired and nobody was killed or injured. However, yet another civilian, who had sustained critical injuries in a shootout at Chhanpora last week, breathed his last at a hospital. Meanwhile, separatist hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani asked the Kashmir to stop all violent means of “resistance” after he reached back to home from weeks of confinement at a special jail.
In the wake of media hype to “shoot-at-sight orders”, that had in fact never been issued as Srinagar District Magistrate Mehraj Ahmed Kakru clarified later today, entire Kashmir valley remained confined to homes right from the morning. For several hours of the day, there was no violation of the curfew, now strictly in force all over the Valley.
Later in the day, some people gathered in Qamarwari outskirts of this capital city and they set on a condemned vehicle of Police. Reports from South Kashmir said that a mob torched a vehicle of IRP 9th Bn in Pampore and hundreds of people gathered at Shirmal in Shopian district and they torched two huts of Forest Protection Force. Some public properties were also reported torched in Baramulla and Kupwara.
An official spokesman claimed that there was no incident of violence or clash anywhere in the Valley today other than torching of a Police vehicle at Pampore and two FPF huts at Shirmal. He said: “In Shopian, an unruly mob attacked the Forest Protection Force complex comprising of about ten buildings and tried to set on fire the complex and the vehicles parked in the compound. Police party immediately reached the spot was able to save eight buildings and three vehicles. However, miscreants set ablaze two buildings and one Gypsy which gutted completely”.
Reports, not confirmed by officials, said that Police and CRPF opened fire after a mob clashed with them at Dandarkhah in Batmaloo area. Another group of people shouted anti-India and pro-Azadi slogans after learning about the death of an injured youth of the locality at a hospital. Reports said that a minor clash took place with Police. Later a thick rally formed the funeral procession in violation of curfew and staged anti-India demonstration.
Officials said that “some minor clashes” took place in Valley between thin groups of youngsters and Police which dispersed when the authorities resorted to minor baton charge. They insisted that not a single bullet was fired anywhere in the Valley today as the people did neither violate curfew not indulged in violent clashes with Police and armed forces.
Reports from Pampore said that more than five thousand people assembled at Khrew to mourn the death of three civilians who had died in Police firing besides six others who got killed in an IED after torching local camp of SOG on Sunday last. They passed through several villages in a fleet of vehicles while shouting pro-Azadi, pro-Islam and anti-India slogans. Police and CRPF withdrew to clear way for the procession.
Official spokesman said that one Mohammad Iqbal Khan S/o Abdul Majeed Khan, who had sustained critical injuries in an incident of firing at Chhanpora on July 30th, today died at SKIMS, Soura. With this, as many as 46 civilians, mostly youth, have died in different incidents of clashes with Police and CRPF in Kashmir valley since June 11th. At least four more critically wounded civilians are still under treatment at SKIMS and two more hospitals in Srinagar.
Curfew was strictly enforced today amid reports that several companies of RAF were also arriving in to assist J&K Police and CRPF in controlling the riotous mobs. Army took control of entire national highway from Banihal to Uri late last night and the convoys, as well as Amarnath Yatra, passed peacefully.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the hardline faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, today reached back to his Hyderpora residence after few weeks of confinement at a Forest Department hut at Cheshma Shahi. Geelani had been shifted to SKIMS, like on all of his previous detentions, after he complained of pain last week. Later Police withdrew the contingent holding him in custody at the hospital and told him that he was free to go home. The 85-year-old separatist leader, however, refused to leave and demanded release of all others who had been detained in the last several months. Government did not concede his demand.
Geelani was dropped today at his Hyderpora house. Immediately after reaching there, he called a press conference mainly to ask the angry Kashmiri youth not to resort of violent means of “resistance” like stone pelting and arson of public properties. He said that such incidents were highly detrimental to the interests of the separatist movement in Kashmir.
Geelani revealed that Chief Minister’s Political Advisor, Devender Singh Rana, had met him at the Cheshma Shahi jail hut and conveyed to him on behalf of Omar Abdullah that government would permit his political activity in case there was no violence in it and the same remained peaceful. According to Geelani, he told Rana that Chief Minister was a puppet in the hands of New Delhi and his assurance had neither credibility nor consequence. He told him that all---NC, PDP, Congress---were in the field “only to promote New Delhi’s agenda in J&K”.
Geelani revealed that a delegation of three people, comprising Prof Amitabh Matoo, Admiral K K Nayyar and Ms Radha Kumar, had also met him on the same day on July 22 at Cheshma Shahi and asked him to participate in a dialogue with Government of India. He said that he told the delegation that India had been simply trumpeting the refrain of dialogue ‘only to mislead the world” on Kashmir. He asserted that New Delhi had never shown any sincerity or seriousness in holding talks with the separatist leadership in Kashmir.
He ruled out joining any political process, until his basic demands of “revocation of AFSPA”, “total demilitarization from J&K” and release of “all political detainees” were conceded.
END
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Army taking over highway, RAF towns as 4 more killed in firing
After burning Police Stations, mobs torch houses of JKP cops
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Aug 3: In a significant measure of fire fighting, government is deploying Army to control the entire highway from Banihal to Uri and Rapid Action Force to assist Police and CRPF in Srinagar and other major towns even as four more civilians today got killed in different incidents of curfew violation and resultant firing and another persons, earlier injured in a blast at Khrew on Sunday last, has breathed his last at a hospital today.
Nobody in Police and civil administration has been responding to phone calls from journalists since Sunday last but official sources, having access to information, told Early Times that four more people, attacking Police, CRPF and public properties, got killed today and over a hundred others injured in different incidents of violence across Valley. One Riyaz Ahmed Bhat S/o Ghulam Nabi Bhat, who was among 30 people who had sustained injuries in an IED balst at Khrew on Sunday last, today died at SMHS Hospital. With this, as many as 45 civilians, mostly youngsters, have died in clashes with Police and CRPF in Kashmir Valley since June 11th.
Sources said that Meraj-ud-din Lone S/o Mohammad Maqbool Lone died on spot and Mohammad Yousuf Mir sustained injuries when a thick mob clashed with Police and CRPF at Barthana in Srinagar outskirts. Police and CRPF opened fire after the mob refused to break in half-an-hour of teargas shelling and persisted with its assault in violation of curfew.
One Suhai Ahmed Dar of Zainakote died when Police and CRPF opened fire on another unruly mob near Shalteng in Srinagar outskirts. Sources said that the mob left over a dozen Police and CRPF men injured and damaged two of their vehicles.
A class 9th student, namely Anees Khursheed Ganai S/o Khursheed Ahmed Ganai got killed in Police and CRPF firing on a procession of demonstrators at Narawara in downtown Srinagar. Authorities gave way to the procession of mourners for the 15-year-old’s funeral prayers at Jamia Masjid, followed by his burial at Iddgah. Hundreds of people, braving curfew and shouting pro-Azadi, pro-Islam and anti-India slogans, participated in the funeral rites.
Sources said that one Jehangir Ahmed Bhat S/o Mohammad Yousuf Bhat R/o Punjgam Yaripora died when Police and CRPF opened fire on yet another violent mob at Yaripora in Kulgam district. Over a dozen civilians, Police and CRPF personnel sustained injuries in the intermittent clashes. Sources said that minutes after the shootout, another angry crowd torched the residential house of one Shabir Ahmed Itoo and his brother. While one of them is reportedly a constable, another is working as SPO with Kulgam Police. Official sources said that torching of the residential house of the Police officials was being viewed with concern in the state police force that is now expecting mob attacks on the houses of the officials in insecure hamlets and villages.
Violent mobs, defying curfew and shouting pro-Azadi, pro-Islam and anti-India slogans also attacked Police and CRPF deployments and public properties at Bomai in Sopore and other places. Sources said that the crowds attacked and torched the Police posts at Soibug and Frisal. Reports said that a crowds also attempted to set on fire residential house of Minister of Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir in Tangmarg but his house-guards fired and repulsed the arsonists. Deserted houses of two displaced Pandits and a Naib Tehsildar’s office were destroyed in another blaze at Bumai in Sopore---residential village of socialite Sunanda Pushkar. Two Police posts were reportedly destroyed in fire at Singhpura Pattan and an office of Irrigation Department at Khwaja Bagh, Baramulla.
On the second consecutive day today, mobs attempted to set on fire Railway Station and staff quarters at Ompora-Rishipora in Budgam. However, Police and CRPF failed the attempts with intense firing. Anticipating trouble after fierce mob attacks on Monday, authorities had already in the morning today removed the families of the railway staff and arranged their transportation for Jammu. Official sources said that families of all railway employees have been shifted to Jammu and their residential cities outside in the wake of continuous mob attacks on Railway Stations at several places in the last one week.
At Barthana, mobs set on fire a motorcycle outside J&K Bank building. Residents said that the two-wheeler perished completely and the bank building also suffered some damage in the blaze. Reports said that the angry crowds torched CRPF bunkers at several places. At Wahibugh, Pulwama, a mob dismantled a displaced Pandit’s house, forcing the Police guards to vanish.
Meanwhile, highly placed official sources told early Times that a Unified Headquarters meeting took place on the second consecutive day late this evening here which was presided over by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Senior Army, CRPF, BSF and J&K Police officials participated in the meeting. According to a decision taken in the meeting, Army was being deployed on entire national highway from Banihal to Uri, to regain control over the communication lifeline as also to relieve at least 15 companies of CRPF for deployment in other sensitive areas. Sources said that Army was likely to take full control of the highway that has remained in the control of unruly mobs, cutting supply lines of the security forces since last week.
Supplies and Amarnath pilgrims have been flowing on the highway only from 2300 hours to 0400 hours since last week.
Sources said that on the requisition of the state government, after consultations with the union government, at least seven companies of Rapid Action Force are expected to reach here anytime on Wednesday. These troops, who are actually specially trained components of CRPF in blue uniform, would assist J&K Police in the hypersensitive areas.
END
Sunday, August 1, 2010
6 arsonists die in IED blast, 3 in firing
Several Police Stations, Govt buildings, vehicles torched; SP, CO among over 150 injured; NC-Cong coalition takes Valley back to 1990
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Aug 1: With the law and order machinery now crippling almost completely and the state Police facing worst ever demoralization, riotous demonstrations today spread to the North Kashmir area of Pampore where at least three civilians died in Police and CRPF firing and six arsonists died in an IED blast after torching a Police Station and SOG camp at Khrew. Violent mobs torched a large number of public properties including two Police Stations, several Police and government vehicles besides office and residence of Tehsildar of Pampore during fierce clashes with Police and armed forces. More than 150 persons, including an SP and a Commanding Officer of CRPF, are estimated to have sustained injuries in today’s incidents of violence.
Sources believed to be well informed told early Times that a violent mob this evening set on fire Police Station and a camp of Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police at Khrew. Under orders of “maximum possible restraint” from Chief Minister and the state government, Police personnel offered medium level resistance but finally deserted their camps to safety. The mobs torched and destroyed the camps completely. While hundreds of them were late this evening watching the inferno triumphantly, an extremely powerful IED blast occurred in the burning structures. Preliminary reports said that six civilians were torn into shreds and 40 more sustained injuries of varying intensity.
With nobody in the state government being in a position to collect and share precise details with media, sources said that all four arsonists died on the spot and two more later at hospital. All hospitals from Pampore to Srinagar were getting packed to capacity with the patients having sustained injuries in the blast at Khrew and earlier in the day in over 50 incidents of firing and stone pelting all over the Valley.
Sources said that earlier today, hundreds of people gathered on different roads in violation of curfew and other restrictions in Pampore area of Pulwama district. They created barriers at different spots on the national highway from Pantachowk to Awantipore and blocked the road completely for traffic. Authorities consequently forced the Amarnath pilgrims to stop between Banihal and Qazigund and also at Pahalgam and Sonarmarg.
Within minutes, the stand-off led to violent clashes between the demonstrators and Police and CRPF. The saffron township of Pampore on the highway, that had witnessed an attack on Police Station and torching of two Indian Air Force buses by the violent crowds yesterday, became the hot flashpoint of today’s violence. With different sources quoting different versions of who initiated the bloodbath, fierce clashes took place between the mobs and Police and CRPF. Similar situation occurred in gthe industrial area of Khrew township in the same belt.
In all, three young civilians got killed in the Police and CRPF firing after teargas shelling failed and the mobs resorted to mass attacks on government structures. Those killed in three different incidents of shootout were identified as Nayeem Ahmed Shah S/o Bashir Ahmed Shah R/o Pampore, who actually hailed from Galwanpora Hyderpora, Rayees Ahmed Shah S/o Abdul Rasheed Shah R/o Khrew and 17-year-old Afroza, also a resident of Khrew. Reports awaiting official conformation described Afroza as the sister of Rayees. These reports also said that Nayeem’s mother later today died of cardiac arrest as she was excessively shocked over the tragedy.
As already reported hereinabove, four more civilians this evening died in a powerful IED blast at the devastated SOG camp in Khrew. With today’s fatal casualties, as many as 32 civilians have died in clashes with Police and CRPF in Kashmir valley since June 11th plus related incidents like the one at Khrew this evening.
Identification of the four persons killed in the IED blast in Khrew, number of the injured admitted at different hospitals and condition of the injured under treatment could not be ascertained as people at SKIMS attacked the Police and CID officials who were recording the official information this evening. Thereafter, Police officials ran for life.
Indisputably the day’s worst flashpoint, Pampore township wore the looks of a war ravaged locality as the violent mobs torched several government officials, including those of Police and Tehsildar, office and residence of Tehsildar, Court of Munsiff, where arms and ammunition was reportedly snatched away from Police guards. In the same area, mobs attacked the Police Station at pampore, torched the Police Station and SOG camp at Khrew besides different sub divisional offices of R&B, Irrigation and PDD.
Police and Police camps were also targeted at Bijbehara, Sopore and Chrar-e-Shareef. For the first time today, violent pro-Azadi demonstrations engulfed usually the calm and quiet Chrar-e-Shareef and the border township of Uri. Reports said that hundreds of people staged a demonstration in Uri with the allegation that troops had killed somebody in custodial torture and buried the dead body while hiding it from the residents. These reports said that a Police official’s Maruti car and a motorcycle were torched at Chrar-e-Shareef.
Sources said that thousands of people violated curfew and came out on streets in Srinagar as well as more than a dozen townships tonight. They shouted anti-India, pro-Azadi and pro-Pakistan slogans. At several places, demonstrators also carried Pakistani flags and shouted on security forces to vacate Kashmir. Like in 1990, people played Pakistani war songs and slogans on the public address system of community mosques, asking the youth to get up against “occupational India” with the “final assault”.
Officials sources said that exact number of the injured was not available but over 100 civilians and 50 Police and CRPF officials were believed to have sustained injuries in today’s clashes in Valley. The injured included an SP, a Commanding officer of CRPF and at least six Dy SPs, Inspectors and Sub Inspectors of J&K Police.
Late night reports, awaiting official confirmation that violent mobs clashed with Police and CRPF and made attempts to burn at least six more Police stations and camps in different districts. Highly placed sources indicated to Early Times that Army could be deployed any time in the next 48 hours as not only the political leadership but also J&K Police and CRPF had failed to contain violence.
Meanwhile, an official press release this evening added: “Irate mobs blocked National Highway at a number of places by erecting barricades from Pantha Chowk to Pampore. Huge mobs blocked the Highway at Galander, Kadlabal, Barsoo, Frastabal and Pampore. The unruly mobs set the office cum residence of Tehsildar on fire besides torching a Police vehicle and damaging a number of them.
Miscreants snatched weapons from the local Court Guard. They alsoresorted to heavy pelting on Police Station and the deployments. Evensome unidentified militant fired upon the security force from amongstthem”.
The police and the security forces used lathi charge and tear smokeshells to stop these mobs, however, the mobs did not relent forcingthe use of fire by the Security forces.Two persons namely Nayeem Ahmad Shah S/o Bashir Ahmad R/o Pampore and Rayees Ahmed Shah s/o Abdul Rashid r/o Khunmoh died. Eight civilians and 45 police and CRPF personnel were injured in the violent incidents in Pulwama and Awantipora which included one SSP, one CO of CRPF, one SP, two DySPs, one SI, one SHO, 15 CRPF jawans and 22 police personnel. Most of them were injured at Pampore”.
END
Several Police Stations, Govt buildings, vehicles torched; SP, CO among over 150 injured; NC-Cong coalition takes Valley back to 1990
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Aug 1: With the law and order machinery now crippling almost completely and the state Police facing worst ever demoralization, riotous demonstrations today spread to the North Kashmir area of Pampore where at least three civilians died in Police and CRPF firing and six arsonists died in an IED blast after torching a Police Station and SOG camp at Khrew. Violent mobs torched a large number of public properties including two Police Stations, several Police and government vehicles besides office and residence of Tehsildar of Pampore during fierce clashes with Police and armed forces. More than 150 persons, including an SP and a Commanding Officer of CRPF, are estimated to have sustained injuries in today’s incidents of violence.
Sources believed to be well informed told early Times that a violent mob this evening set on fire Police Station and a camp of Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police at Khrew. Under orders of “maximum possible restraint” from Chief Minister and the state government, Police personnel offered medium level resistance but finally deserted their camps to safety. The mobs torched and destroyed the camps completely. While hundreds of them were late this evening watching the inferno triumphantly, an extremely powerful IED blast occurred in the burning structures. Preliminary reports said that six civilians were torn into shreds and 40 more sustained injuries of varying intensity.
With nobody in the state government being in a position to collect and share precise details with media, sources said that all four arsonists died on the spot and two more later at hospital. All hospitals from Pampore to Srinagar were getting packed to capacity with the patients having sustained injuries in the blast at Khrew and earlier in the day in over 50 incidents of firing and stone pelting all over the Valley.
Sources said that earlier today, hundreds of people gathered on different roads in violation of curfew and other restrictions in Pampore area of Pulwama district. They created barriers at different spots on the national highway from Pantachowk to Awantipore and blocked the road completely for traffic. Authorities consequently forced the Amarnath pilgrims to stop between Banihal and Qazigund and also at Pahalgam and Sonarmarg.
Within minutes, the stand-off led to violent clashes between the demonstrators and Police and CRPF. The saffron township of Pampore on the highway, that had witnessed an attack on Police Station and torching of two Indian Air Force buses by the violent crowds yesterday, became the hot flashpoint of today’s violence. With different sources quoting different versions of who initiated the bloodbath, fierce clashes took place between the mobs and Police and CRPF. Similar situation occurred in gthe industrial area of Khrew township in the same belt.
In all, three young civilians got killed in the Police and CRPF firing after teargas shelling failed and the mobs resorted to mass attacks on government structures. Those killed in three different incidents of shootout were identified as Nayeem Ahmed Shah S/o Bashir Ahmed Shah R/o Pampore, who actually hailed from Galwanpora Hyderpora, Rayees Ahmed Shah S/o Abdul Rasheed Shah R/o Khrew and 17-year-old Afroza, also a resident of Khrew. Reports awaiting official conformation described Afroza as the sister of Rayees. These reports also said that Nayeem’s mother later today died of cardiac arrest as she was excessively shocked over the tragedy.
As already reported hereinabove, four more civilians this evening died in a powerful IED blast at the devastated SOG camp in Khrew. With today’s fatal casualties, as many as 32 civilians have died in clashes with Police and CRPF in Kashmir valley since June 11th plus related incidents like the one at Khrew this evening.
Identification of the four persons killed in the IED blast in Khrew, number of the injured admitted at different hospitals and condition of the injured under treatment could not be ascertained as people at SKIMS attacked the Police and CID officials who were recording the official information this evening. Thereafter, Police officials ran for life.
Indisputably the day’s worst flashpoint, Pampore township wore the looks of a war ravaged locality as the violent mobs torched several government officials, including those of Police and Tehsildar, office and residence of Tehsildar, Court of Munsiff, where arms and ammunition was reportedly snatched away from Police guards. In the same area, mobs attacked the Police Station at pampore, torched the Police Station and SOG camp at Khrew besides different sub divisional offices of R&B, Irrigation and PDD.
Police and Police camps were also targeted at Bijbehara, Sopore and Chrar-e-Shareef. For the first time today, violent pro-Azadi demonstrations engulfed usually the calm and quiet Chrar-e-Shareef and the border township of Uri. Reports said that hundreds of people staged a demonstration in Uri with the allegation that troops had killed somebody in custodial torture and buried the dead body while hiding it from the residents. These reports said that a Police official’s Maruti car and a motorcycle were torched at Chrar-e-Shareef.
Sources said that thousands of people violated curfew and came out on streets in Srinagar as well as more than a dozen townships tonight. They shouted anti-India, pro-Azadi and pro-Pakistan slogans. At several places, demonstrators also carried Pakistani flags and shouted on security forces to vacate Kashmir. Like in 1990, people played Pakistani war songs and slogans on the public address system of community mosques, asking the youth to get up against “occupational India” with the “final assault”.
Officials sources said that exact number of the injured was not available but over 100 civilians and 50 Police and CRPF officials were believed to have sustained injuries in today’s clashes in Valley. The injured included an SP, a Commanding officer of CRPF and at least six Dy SPs, Inspectors and Sub Inspectors of J&K Police.
Late night reports, awaiting official confirmation that violent mobs clashed with Police and CRPF and made attempts to burn at least six more Police stations and camps in different districts. Highly placed sources indicated to Early Times that Army could be deployed any time in the next 48 hours as not only the political leadership but also J&K Police and CRPF had failed to contain violence.
Meanwhile, an official press release this evening added: “Irate mobs blocked National Highway at a number of places by erecting barricades from Pantha Chowk to Pampore. Huge mobs blocked the Highway at Galander, Kadlabal, Barsoo, Frastabal and Pampore. The unruly mobs set the office cum residence of Tehsildar on fire besides torching a Police vehicle and damaging a number of them.
Miscreants snatched weapons from the local Court Guard. They alsoresorted to heavy pelting on Police Station and the deployments. Evensome unidentified militant fired upon the security force from amongstthem”.
The police and the security forces used lathi charge and tear smokeshells to stop these mobs, however, the mobs did not relent forcingthe use of fire by the Security forces.Two persons namely Nayeem Ahmad Shah S/o Bashir Ahmad R/o Pampore and Rayees Ahmed Shah s/o Abdul Rashid r/o Khunmoh died. Eight civilians and 45 police and CRPF personnel were injured in the violent incidents in Pulwama and Awantipora which included one SSP, one CO of CRPF, one SP, two DySPs, one SI, one SHO, 15 CRPF jawans and 22 police personnel. Most of them were injured at Pampore”.
END
Saturday, July 31, 2010
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
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
Friday, July 30, 2010
3 killed, 2 critical among 300 injured in Valley
Mobs set Police Station, vehicle on fire; clashes at over 50 places
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jul 30: In fresh spate of mob attacks on Police and violent clashes between demonstrators and armed forces, three more civilians have died and around 300 sustained injuries---two of them critically---as Kashmir valley witnessed yet another separatist-sponsored shutdown and state-enforced curfew today. With the violent mobs torching a Police Station and a Police vehicle in Pattan area of Baramulla district today, authorities have re-imposed curfew in capital city of Srinagar as also some other major towns in apprehension of further escalation in violence and street clashes.
Even as the state Police was in complete disarray and both, headless department of Information as well as the Police headquarters, remained tightlipped, informed sources told Early Times that three civilians got killed and two more, with critical injuries, were battling for life at SKIMS. These sources said that nearly 300 people, including 50-odd Police and CRPF personnel, were estimated to have sustained injuries in today’s clashes between violent crowds and armed forces all over the Valley.
As almost all separatist outfits and politicians have treated Omar Abdullah government’s Court of Inquiry into seventeen civilian deaths with contempt, hardliner Hurriyat (Geelani) had called for a mass march to Srinagar midtown locality of Maisuma today. Detained hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been issuing such calls and shutdown calendars as part of his “Quit Jammu & Kashmir Movement” since last month. With three deaths happening today, as many as 20 civilians, mostly youth, have got killed in Police and CRPF action since June 11th.
With downtown Srinagar reeling under curfew and restrictions on the common civilian movement being in force in uptown and few other major townships, Valley observed umpteenth shutdown today. Most of the educational institutions, government offices, banks and private businesses remained shut and transport was off the road. Reports, awaiting official confirmation, said that scores of civilian and official vehicles were damaged by the groups enforcing shutdown at hundreds of spots on different roads, including Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Those found in movement in defiance of the call for shutdown, were humiliated and severely thrashed.
Repeated attempts to get an official version of the day’s violent incidents failed as none of the Police or civil officials responded to phone calls. There was no official release from the government either. However, officials in Police and CID, who insisted to remain unidentified in media, told this newspaper that two to three hundred people gathered at Chhanapora and led a march towards Maisuma while shouting anti-India, anti-forces, pro-Azadi and pro-Islam slogans. As soon as CRPF blocked the way, scores of people in the procession resorted to heavy stone pelting. Police and CRPF used firing in air, teargas shells and retaliatory stone pelting to break the crowds.
After a number of demonstrators and paramilitary personnel sustained injuries in the bitter clash, CRPF opened fire. A 22-year-old youth, namely Mohammad Iqbal Khan S/o Abdul Majid Khan R/o Chhanpora sustained critical gunshot injuries. Reports, awaiting official confirmation, said that seven others sustained gunshot wounds of relatively lesser intensity. Medical Superintendent at SKIMS, Dr Syed Amin Tabish, told Early Times that Khan had been hit in his head and other parts of his body. He said that Khan had been put on a ventilator and described his condition as critical. Sources said that, in all, nearly 30 people, including a dozen of Police and CRPF personnel sustained injuries in the clash at Chhanapora.
In second violent incident of the day, sources said, hundreds of people gathered at Amargarh, in outskirts of Sopore township, and began marching the local railway station. A fierce clash took place between the demonstrators and CRPF. The CRPF under fierce attack from the mob, opened fire. Over a dozen demonstrators sustained gunshot wounds. Two of them were later declared as dead at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar. They were identified as 17-year-old Shaukat Ahmed Wagay S/o Abdul Hamid Wagay and 50-year-old Mohammad Ahsan Ganai.
In third major incident of the day, a mob of over 500 people raided a Police Post at Potkhah in Sopore-Pattan belt. Even as the Police personnel escaped and did not react, the mob caused severe damage to a parked 407 vehicle of the Police Post. Reports said that some people set it on fire. However, authoritative sources maintained that the vehicle was severely damaged in stone pelting and the crowds withdrew when CRPF reached the spot.
In fourth violent incident of the day, a mob of over one thousand people stormed Police Station Pattan on Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Middle rung Police officers said that the crowds left over a dozen Policemen, including SHO Pattan, wounded. When they were left between opening fire and running for the life, they preferred the latter. Sources said that almost all Policemen posted at the destroyed Police Station were not reachable when senior Police officers made frantic efforts through telephone and wireless to learn about their condition. Residents said that one building gutted completely. Quoting Fire Brigade officials, they said that records and arms and ammunition were also believed to have been destroyed.
With none of the officially reachable for comment, informed sources said that CRPF reached the spot and used heavy baton charge, teargas shelling and firing to disperse the crowds. They said that one 15-year-old boy, Mohammad Rafeeq Bhat S/o Ghulam Mohammad Bhat R/o Palhalan got killed and over a dozen others were injured. Some of the injured were admitted to the local Sub District Hospital but those having sustained critical injuries were rushed to different hospital in Srinagar.
MS at SKIMS, Dr Tabish, said that a 23-year-old, Nazir Ahmed, was battling for life as he had got hit into his head. He said that doctors were providing best possible treatment to Mohammad Iqbal Khan of Chhanpora and Nazir Ahmed of Pattan but there were remote prospects of their survival. He said that in all 10 civilian, who had sustained gunshot and other wounds at Pattan, were admitted at SKIMS. While one of them, namely Nazir Ahmed, was critical, another person with fractures was referred to Bone & Joint Hospital Barzullah. Residents of Pattan alleged that CRPF thrashed whoever came their way and even roughed up patients and attendants at the local hospital.
Official sources said that unidentified persons in two crowds, at Baramulla and Tral, fired pistol shots. According to them, one constable sustained gunshot wounds but Police observed restraint for fear of civilian casualties. Sources said that over two thousand people gathered at Khankah-e-Faiz Panah in Tral and they shouted pro-Azadi, pro-Islam, anti-India and anti-forces slogans. There was later a bitter clash between the crowd and CRPF in which over 30 people, including 18 CRPF personnel, sustained injuries.
In all, anti-India and pro-Azadi demonstrations and clashes between the crowds and Police/CRPF were reported from nearly 50 spots in Baramulla, Sopore, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag districts in Kashmir valley today. However, the violent separatist groups did not interfere with the movement of regular Army. Army patrols and convoys were seen moving on different routes without any disruption or attack from the mobs.
END
Mobs set Police Station, vehicle on fire; clashes at over 50 places
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jul 30: In fresh spate of mob attacks on Police and violent clashes between demonstrators and armed forces, three more civilians have died and around 300 sustained injuries---two of them critically---as Kashmir valley witnessed yet another separatist-sponsored shutdown and state-enforced curfew today. With the violent mobs torching a Police Station and a Police vehicle in Pattan area of Baramulla district today, authorities have re-imposed curfew in capital city of Srinagar as also some other major towns in apprehension of further escalation in violence and street clashes.
Even as the state Police was in complete disarray and both, headless department of Information as well as the Police headquarters, remained tightlipped, informed sources told Early Times that three civilians got killed and two more, with critical injuries, were battling for life at SKIMS. These sources said that nearly 300 people, including 50-odd Police and CRPF personnel, were estimated to have sustained injuries in today’s clashes between violent crowds and armed forces all over the Valley.
As almost all separatist outfits and politicians have treated Omar Abdullah government’s Court of Inquiry into seventeen civilian deaths with contempt, hardliner Hurriyat (Geelani) had called for a mass march to Srinagar midtown locality of Maisuma today. Detained hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been issuing such calls and shutdown calendars as part of his “Quit Jammu & Kashmir Movement” since last month. With three deaths happening today, as many as 20 civilians, mostly youth, have got killed in Police and CRPF action since June 11th.
With downtown Srinagar reeling under curfew and restrictions on the common civilian movement being in force in uptown and few other major townships, Valley observed umpteenth shutdown today. Most of the educational institutions, government offices, banks and private businesses remained shut and transport was off the road. Reports, awaiting official confirmation, said that scores of civilian and official vehicles were damaged by the groups enforcing shutdown at hundreds of spots on different roads, including Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Those found in movement in defiance of the call for shutdown, were humiliated and severely thrashed.
Repeated attempts to get an official version of the day’s violent incidents failed as none of the Police or civil officials responded to phone calls. There was no official release from the government either. However, officials in Police and CID, who insisted to remain unidentified in media, told this newspaper that two to three hundred people gathered at Chhanapora and led a march towards Maisuma while shouting anti-India, anti-forces, pro-Azadi and pro-Islam slogans. As soon as CRPF blocked the way, scores of people in the procession resorted to heavy stone pelting. Police and CRPF used firing in air, teargas shells and retaliatory stone pelting to break the crowds.
After a number of demonstrators and paramilitary personnel sustained injuries in the bitter clash, CRPF opened fire. A 22-year-old youth, namely Mohammad Iqbal Khan S/o Abdul Majid Khan R/o Chhanpora sustained critical gunshot injuries. Reports, awaiting official confirmation, said that seven others sustained gunshot wounds of relatively lesser intensity. Medical Superintendent at SKIMS, Dr Syed Amin Tabish, told Early Times that Khan had been hit in his head and other parts of his body. He said that Khan had been put on a ventilator and described his condition as critical. Sources said that, in all, nearly 30 people, including a dozen of Police and CRPF personnel sustained injuries in the clash at Chhanapora.
In second violent incident of the day, sources said, hundreds of people gathered at Amargarh, in outskirts of Sopore township, and began marching the local railway station. A fierce clash took place between the demonstrators and CRPF. The CRPF under fierce attack from the mob, opened fire. Over a dozen demonstrators sustained gunshot wounds. Two of them were later declared as dead at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar. They were identified as 17-year-old Shaukat Ahmed Wagay S/o Abdul Hamid Wagay and 50-year-old Mohammad Ahsan Ganai.
In third major incident of the day, a mob of over 500 people raided a Police Post at Potkhah in Sopore-Pattan belt. Even as the Police personnel escaped and did not react, the mob caused severe damage to a parked 407 vehicle of the Police Post. Reports said that some people set it on fire. However, authoritative sources maintained that the vehicle was severely damaged in stone pelting and the crowds withdrew when CRPF reached the spot.
In fourth violent incident of the day, a mob of over one thousand people stormed Police Station Pattan on Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Middle rung Police officers said that the crowds left over a dozen Policemen, including SHO Pattan, wounded. When they were left between opening fire and running for the life, they preferred the latter. Sources said that almost all Policemen posted at the destroyed Police Station were not reachable when senior Police officers made frantic efforts through telephone and wireless to learn about their condition. Residents said that one building gutted completely. Quoting Fire Brigade officials, they said that records and arms and ammunition were also believed to have been destroyed.
With none of the officially reachable for comment, informed sources said that CRPF reached the spot and used heavy baton charge, teargas shelling and firing to disperse the crowds. They said that one 15-year-old boy, Mohammad Rafeeq Bhat S/o Ghulam Mohammad Bhat R/o Palhalan got killed and over a dozen others were injured. Some of the injured were admitted to the local Sub District Hospital but those having sustained critical injuries were rushed to different hospital in Srinagar.
MS at SKIMS, Dr Tabish, said that a 23-year-old, Nazir Ahmed, was battling for life as he had got hit into his head. He said that doctors were providing best possible treatment to Mohammad Iqbal Khan of Chhanpora and Nazir Ahmed of Pattan but there were remote prospects of their survival. He said that in all 10 civilian, who had sustained gunshot and other wounds at Pattan, were admitted at SKIMS. While one of them, namely Nazir Ahmed, was critical, another person with fractures was referred to Bone & Joint Hospital Barzullah. Residents of Pattan alleged that CRPF thrashed whoever came their way and even roughed up patients and attendants at the local hospital.
Official sources said that unidentified persons in two crowds, at Baramulla and Tral, fired pistol shots. According to them, one constable sustained gunshot wounds but Police observed restraint for fear of civilian casualties. Sources said that over two thousand people gathered at Khankah-e-Faiz Panah in Tral and they shouted pro-Azadi, pro-Islam, anti-India and anti-forces slogans. There was later a bitter clash between the crowd and CRPF in which over 30 people, including 18 CRPF personnel, sustained injuries.
In all, anti-India and pro-Azadi demonstrations and clashes between the crowds and Police/CRPF were reported from nearly 50 spots in Baramulla, Sopore, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag districts in Kashmir valley today. However, the violent separatist groups did not interfere with the movement of regular Army. Army patrols and convoys were seen moving on different routes without any disruption or attack from the mobs.
END
Thursday, July 29, 2010
PDP imposes curfew on Civil Secretariat
Mehbooba: Curfew Govt has lost moral right to continue in office
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jul 29: Opposition PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti, alongwith 20-odd MLAs and MLCs of her organization, today locked the main entrance of Civil Secretariat. She said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his Ministers and bureaucrats required to be taught what the residents of Srinagar and some other towns had been feeling during weeks of endless curfew. Calling for an end to prohibitory orders, curfew, detention of people under the label of stone pelters, harassment to separatist activists and ‘killing’ of youth by Police and security forces, Mehbooba asserted that NC-led coalition government had lost credibility as well as moral right to continue in office.
Members of PDP’s Legislature Party reached Civil Secretariat entrance individually from 1215 hours to 1245 hours. Led by Mehbooba Mufti, the legislators locked the Secretariat gates and organized a sit-in that ran for nearly three hours. Fifteen out of twenty-one MLAs and two out of three MLCs of the main opposition party, besides its General Secretary and former Minister, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, and District President Srinagar, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, participated in the peaceful demonstration.
Six MLAs, namely Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Mohammad Sartaj Madni, Javed Ahmed Dar, Sardar Rafeeq Hussain Khan and Choudhary Zulfikar besides MLC, Asgar Ali, were not present. PDP sources said that some of them were preoccupied with important personal and party schedules while few others were either outside the Valley or indisposed.
Slogans shouted by the demonstration and the placards carried by the legislators called for an end to “genocide of Kashmiris” and demanded “punishment to the killers”. There was also considerable emphasis on releasing the detainees even as some of the MLAs and MLCs also carried photographs of the seventeen youth killed during clashes between Police/CRPF and the demonstrators from June 11th to July 11th in Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla and Anantnag.
With this kind of a protest demonstration coming for the first time in the last 20 years, there was high drama at the highest seat of power in the capital city. Ministers, bureaucrats and the government employees suspended their work intermittently and watched the PDP dharna from their windows in the Civil Secretariat. Informed sources said that a large number of staff and common visitors, as also some Ministers, failed to enter the premises as they found the gates locked and the PDP legislators staging a demonstration. Nobody was able to come out from the Secretariat premises.
Speaking to the participants, and later to mediapersons, Mehbooba said that bringing home the tribulations of the people of curfew-bound areas to the state government was the key objective of today’s demonstration and sit-in. She said that the PDP wanted to communicate to the “deaf and dumb government” that residents of curfew-bound Srinagar and other towns in the Valley had been tormenting for coming out their homes. She alleged that Police and security forces had not only killed as many as 17 young civilians in just one month but had also unleashed a reign of terror by harassing and detaining innumerable individuals under different allegations.
Mehbooba said that Omar Abdullah’s government had lost everything---control on situation, credibility and moral right to continue in office. She said that hundreds of thousands of the hapless Kashmiris had been forced to confinement for weeks together as the authorities enforced declared and undeclared curfew without any plausible reason and justification. She claimed that as many as 1400 youth had been picked up from different places and detained under Public Safety Act and other laws.
(Government later clarified that around 800 people had been detained temporarily and only 71 of them were currently in jails and Police stations. It also claimed that, in all, 22 persons had been detained under PSA).
Without being critical on endless shutdowns enforced by the separatists with stone pelting on civilian traffic and beating the female commuters with nettle, PDP chief alleged that state government’s curfews had made life miserable for people of the cordoned localities who, according to her, were faced with acute shortage of food and baby milk. She condemned government’s seizure of the trucks carrying relief items from rural areas to the curfew-bound urban areas yesterday and declared that PDP would soon form a committee for the purpose of providing relief to the worst affected population.
END
Mehbooba: Curfew Govt has lost moral right to continue in office
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, Jul 29: Opposition PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti, alongwith 20-odd MLAs and MLCs of her organization, today locked the main entrance of Civil Secretariat. She said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his Ministers and bureaucrats required to be taught what the residents of Srinagar and some other towns had been feeling during weeks of endless curfew. Calling for an end to prohibitory orders, curfew, detention of people under the label of stone pelters, harassment to separatist activists and ‘killing’ of youth by Police and security forces, Mehbooba asserted that NC-led coalition government had lost credibility as well as moral right to continue in office.
Members of PDP’s Legislature Party reached Civil Secretariat entrance individually from 1215 hours to 1245 hours. Led by Mehbooba Mufti, the legislators locked the Secretariat gates and organized a sit-in that ran for nearly three hours. Fifteen out of twenty-one MLAs and two out of three MLCs of the main opposition party, besides its General Secretary and former Minister, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, and District President Srinagar, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, participated in the peaceful demonstration.
Six MLAs, namely Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Mohammad Sartaj Madni, Javed Ahmed Dar, Sardar Rafeeq Hussain Khan and Choudhary Zulfikar besides MLC, Asgar Ali, were not present. PDP sources said that some of them were preoccupied with important personal and party schedules while few others were either outside the Valley or indisposed.
Slogans shouted by the demonstration and the placards carried by the legislators called for an end to “genocide of Kashmiris” and demanded “punishment to the killers”. There was also considerable emphasis on releasing the detainees even as some of the MLAs and MLCs also carried photographs of the seventeen youth killed during clashes between Police/CRPF and the demonstrators from June 11th to July 11th in Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla and Anantnag.
With this kind of a protest demonstration coming for the first time in the last 20 years, there was high drama at the highest seat of power in the capital city. Ministers, bureaucrats and the government employees suspended their work intermittently and watched the PDP dharna from their windows in the Civil Secretariat. Informed sources said that a large number of staff and common visitors, as also some Ministers, failed to enter the premises as they found the gates locked and the PDP legislators staging a demonstration. Nobody was able to come out from the Secretariat premises.
Speaking to the participants, and later to mediapersons, Mehbooba said that bringing home the tribulations of the people of curfew-bound areas to the state government was the key objective of today’s demonstration and sit-in. She said that the PDP wanted to communicate to the “deaf and dumb government” that residents of curfew-bound Srinagar and other towns in the Valley had been tormenting for coming out their homes. She alleged that Police and security forces had not only killed as many as 17 young civilians in just one month but had also unleashed a reign of terror by harassing and detaining innumerable individuals under different allegations.
Mehbooba said that Omar Abdullah’s government had lost everything---control on situation, credibility and moral right to continue in office. She said that hundreds of thousands of the hapless Kashmiris had been forced to confinement for weeks together as the authorities enforced declared and undeclared curfew without any plausible reason and justification. She claimed that as many as 1400 youth had been picked up from different places and detained under Public Safety Act and other laws.
(Government later clarified that around 800 people had been detained temporarily and only 71 of them were currently in jails and Police stations. It also claimed that, in all, 22 persons had been detained under PSA).
Without being critical on endless shutdowns enforced by the separatists with stone pelting on civilian traffic and beating the female commuters with nettle, PDP chief alleged that state government’s curfews had made life miserable for people of the cordoned localities who, according to her, were faced with acute shortage of food and baby milk. She condemned government’s seizure of the trucks carrying relief items from rural areas to the curfew-bound urban areas yesterday and declared that PDP would soon form a committee for the purpose of providing relief to the worst affected population.
END
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
12 of Omar’s SSPs, SPs, Dy SPs fall in the dock
COI in 17 deaths: Eyewash, confusion or concession to separatists?
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, July 28: Omar Abdullah government’s order of inquiry into seventeen deaths in the Valley clashes from June 11th to July 11th is bound to end up as damp squib for more than one reason. It has evoked no positive reaction from the quarters that are sought to be pacified with surrender after surrender and concession after concession from Gupkar Road. On the other hand, it has directly brought a full dozen of SSPs, SPs and Dy SPs into the dock---raising questions over their continuance on key positions. They will be, now on, spending more time in defending themselves before the judicial inquiry than dealing with law and order problems, counter-insurgency operations and supervision of routine criminal investigation.
Even by a common man’s logic, current spell of turbulence---second in the last 18 months of the NC-led coalition government---has been yielding for the Kashmiri separatists. For the first time since the amalgam was floated in 1993, Hurriyat and its breakaway constituents have succeeded to bring the state on kneels. Omar Abdullah’s government has evidently gone into a panic mode. Like an ordinary Kashmiri on the streets, Hurriyat too must have noticed the somersaults coming in abundance from the Civil Secretariat. Next administrative reshuffle comes with reversal of the decisions taken in previous Cabinet meeting.
Nobody understands the logic of posting local SSPs in sensitive Police districts in the Valley. In the latest shake up in J&K Police, Government has appointed Mansoor Ahmed Untoo as SSP of the Valley’s worst turbulent district of Baramulla. He happens to be a resident of the Valley’s top flash point of trouble---Sopore town and has never held a district level position in executive Police. In the same reshuffle, Government has appointed Bashir Ahmed Khan as SSP of the Valley’s third worst affected district---Anantnag. Though putting up at his own house in Srinagar for several years, Khan and his family are residents of the same locality which is ‘famous’ for stone pelters in south Kashmir.
Government has also posted Mohammad Sayeed Panoo as SP of Awantipore. Panoo is a resident of the highway township of Bijbehara, situated in close vicinity of Awantipore.
All these appointments have come at a time when nobody is coming forward to take up the challenging assignment of heading a Police district. Almost all IPS officers too have managed to escape to Vigilance, Traffic, CID and other non-sensitive positions. Of late, Government has been desperately trying to woo same Police officers who had been marginalized and punished with insignificant postings just a year ago. A many of them had been picked up for witch hunting with public allegations of their being “members of PDP”. A number of SSPs and SPs are already in jail like Manohar Singh or suspended like Javed Iqbal Matoo.
In the state Police’s worst era of demoralization, Government has now ordered a court of inquiry into seventeen deaths that occurred during the course of clashes and street demonstrations in the Valley from June 11th to July 11th. “This is an eyewash. Government has no intention of investigating deaths or punishing the killers. Whenever, there is sincerely an action, government does not order inquiries” is invariably the reaction from a common man today. Everybody refers to Ghulam Nabi Azad’s action against former SP of Ganderbal, Hans Raj Parihar and Omar Abdullah’s action in getting BSF Commanding Officer Birdi arrested in Zahid Farooq killing episode and points out that there was action, no commission on inquiry.
Official statistics are appallingly revealing. There have been more than 400 magisterial and judicial inquiries in civilian killings in the last 20 years of turmoil. Not more than a dozen investigation reports have seen the light of the day. Necessary follow up action has been witnessed in just a few matters. Who then is going to believe that Omar Abdullah is sincerely at work. Those who tend not to forget things quickly, even refer to the young Chief Minister’s “conveniently forgotten” election promise of ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission”.
Government has ordered the Court of Inquiry, to be headed by former J&K High Court judge, Bashiruddin, at a time when district Police chiefs were under express orders of detaining “maximum number of hooligans”. Detention under PSA of the all influential separatist advocate, Mian Qayoom, and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, first time since 1990, coupled by their lodgment in the “non-VIP” Hira Nagar and Rajuri jails was in itself a tough and terse statement flowing through command and control structure of J&K Police. These orders were significant in the wake of reports that scores of “hooligans” had been lately released over telephonic intervention of NC’s leaders, particularly a Minister and an Advisor to Chief Minister, to the extent that PDP President Mehbooba Mufti had found it easy to publicly allege that “the bad stone pelters are NC’s men”.
Now the grand reversal has perhaps completed the first phase of demoralization in J&K Police. According to Tuesday’s Cabinet orders, Justice Bashiruddin would have as many as 12 SSPs, SPs and Dy SPs of the state government accused before the Court. Seven of the deaths have occurred in Srinagar, four in Sopore and three each in Baramulla and Anantnag.
Those definitely to be questioned by the Court of Inquiry include lately appointed SSP of Srinagar, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, his predecessor and now SSP of Special Branch Kashmir, Javed Riyaz Bedar, lately attached SSP of Baramulla, Sheikh Mehmood, former SSP of Anantnag and now SSP of Railway (Kashmir) Dr Showkat Ahmed Malik. Those in the dock also include indisputably the best performer in Srinagar, SP City (South) Mohammad Irshad, SP Sopore Altaf Khan and former SP City North, Abdul Rashid Ganai.
In addition to seven district and zonal district Police heads, as many as five Dy SPs will have to prove their innocence before the Court of Inquiry. However, it is not so far clear whether the DIGs of J&K Police would also be under the scanner. Terms of reference are also silent with regard to bringing CRPF under the ambit of the inquiry. “We feel we have no moral right to continue on sensitive positions as long as we are accused before the Court” said one of the SSPs who did not wish to be identified. He said that Government should remove all of the accused Police officers, including himself, from the key postings. “We are all guilty till proved innocent”, he added with a tinge of satire.
“We are no more going to confront a rampaging mob, even if there are orders from Chief Minister”, said another SP whose district has not, so far witnessed any casualty. According to him, nobody would question, in case any action was taken against the guilty in brazen incidents of SOP violation like the killing of three youth in Anantnag in seemingly unwarranted firing. “It’s unfortunate that cow slaughter is talk of the town and nobody speaks of the bull slaughter”, he said (in loose translation of a Kashmiri proverb) while insisting that Police had observed “maximum possible restraint” in most of the mob attacks on them. “We have horrible videos of the Policemen being lynched. But we don’t put them on YouTube and Facebook for the CM’s BlackBerry”.
END
COI in 17 deaths: Eyewash, confusion or concession to separatists?
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
SRINAGAR, July 28: Omar Abdullah government’s order of inquiry into seventeen deaths in the Valley clashes from June 11th to July 11th is bound to end up as damp squib for more than one reason. It has evoked no positive reaction from the quarters that are sought to be pacified with surrender after surrender and concession after concession from Gupkar Road. On the other hand, it has directly brought a full dozen of SSPs, SPs and Dy SPs into the dock---raising questions over their continuance on key positions. They will be, now on, spending more time in defending themselves before the judicial inquiry than dealing with law and order problems, counter-insurgency operations and supervision of routine criminal investigation.
Even by a common man’s logic, current spell of turbulence---second in the last 18 months of the NC-led coalition government---has been yielding for the Kashmiri separatists. For the first time since the amalgam was floated in 1993, Hurriyat and its breakaway constituents have succeeded to bring the state on kneels. Omar Abdullah’s government has evidently gone into a panic mode. Like an ordinary Kashmiri on the streets, Hurriyat too must have noticed the somersaults coming in abundance from the Civil Secretariat. Next administrative reshuffle comes with reversal of the decisions taken in previous Cabinet meeting.
Nobody understands the logic of posting local SSPs in sensitive Police districts in the Valley. In the latest shake up in J&K Police, Government has appointed Mansoor Ahmed Untoo as SSP of the Valley’s worst turbulent district of Baramulla. He happens to be a resident of the Valley’s top flash point of trouble---Sopore town and has never held a district level position in executive Police. In the same reshuffle, Government has appointed Bashir Ahmed Khan as SSP of the Valley’s third worst affected district---Anantnag. Though putting up at his own house in Srinagar for several years, Khan and his family are residents of the same locality which is ‘famous’ for stone pelters in south Kashmir.
Government has also posted Mohammad Sayeed Panoo as SP of Awantipore. Panoo is a resident of the highway township of Bijbehara, situated in close vicinity of Awantipore.
All these appointments have come at a time when nobody is coming forward to take up the challenging assignment of heading a Police district. Almost all IPS officers too have managed to escape to Vigilance, Traffic, CID and other non-sensitive positions. Of late, Government has been desperately trying to woo same Police officers who had been marginalized and punished with insignificant postings just a year ago. A many of them had been picked up for witch hunting with public allegations of their being “members of PDP”. A number of SSPs and SPs are already in jail like Manohar Singh or suspended like Javed Iqbal Matoo.
In the state Police’s worst era of demoralization, Government has now ordered a court of inquiry into seventeen deaths that occurred during the course of clashes and street demonstrations in the Valley from June 11th to July 11th. “This is an eyewash. Government has no intention of investigating deaths or punishing the killers. Whenever, there is sincerely an action, government does not order inquiries” is invariably the reaction from a common man today. Everybody refers to Ghulam Nabi Azad’s action against former SP of Ganderbal, Hans Raj Parihar and Omar Abdullah’s action in getting BSF Commanding Officer Birdi arrested in Zahid Farooq killing episode and points out that there was action, no commission on inquiry.
Official statistics are appallingly revealing. There have been more than 400 magisterial and judicial inquiries in civilian killings in the last 20 years of turmoil. Not more than a dozen investigation reports have seen the light of the day. Necessary follow up action has been witnessed in just a few matters. Who then is going to believe that Omar Abdullah is sincerely at work. Those who tend not to forget things quickly, even refer to the young Chief Minister’s “conveniently forgotten” election promise of ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission”.
Government has ordered the Court of Inquiry, to be headed by former J&K High Court judge, Bashiruddin, at a time when district Police chiefs were under express orders of detaining “maximum number of hooligans”. Detention under PSA of the all influential separatist advocate, Mian Qayoom, and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, first time since 1990, coupled by their lodgment in the “non-VIP” Hira Nagar and Rajuri jails was in itself a tough and terse statement flowing through command and control structure of J&K Police. These orders were significant in the wake of reports that scores of “hooligans” had been lately released over telephonic intervention of NC’s leaders, particularly a Minister and an Advisor to Chief Minister, to the extent that PDP President Mehbooba Mufti had found it easy to publicly allege that “the bad stone pelters are NC’s men”.
Now the grand reversal has perhaps completed the first phase of demoralization in J&K Police. According to Tuesday’s Cabinet orders, Justice Bashiruddin would have as many as 12 SSPs, SPs and Dy SPs of the state government accused before the Court. Seven of the deaths have occurred in Srinagar, four in Sopore and three each in Baramulla and Anantnag.
Those definitely to be questioned by the Court of Inquiry include lately appointed SSP of Srinagar, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, his predecessor and now SSP of Special Branch Kashmir, Javed Riyaz Bedar, lately attached SSP of Baramulla, Sheikh Mehmood, former SSP of Anantnag and now SSP of Railway (Kashmir) Dr Showkat Ahmed Malik. Those in the dock also include indisputably the best performer in Srinagar, SP City (South) Mohammad Irshad, SP Sopore Altaf Khan and former SP City North, Abdul Rashid Ganai.
In addition to seven district and zonal district Police heads, as many as five Dy SPs will have to prove their innocence before the Court of Inquiry. However, it is not so far clear whether the DIGs of J&K Police would also be under the scanner. Terms of reference are also silent with regard to bringing CRPF under the ambit of the inquiry. “We feel we have no moral right to continue on sensitive positions as long as we are accused before the Court” said one of the SSPs who did not wish to be identified. He said that Government should remove all of the accused Police officers, including himself, from the key postings. “We are all guilty till proved innocent”, he added with a tinge of satire.
“We are no more going to confront a rampaging mob, even if there are orders from Chief Minister”, said another SP whose district has not, so far witnessed any casualty. According to him, nobody would question, in case any action was taken against the guilty in brazen incidents of SOP violation like the killing of three youth in Anantnag in seemingly unwarranted firing. “It’s unfortunate that cow slaughter is talk of the town and nobody speaks of the bull slaughter”, he said (in loose translation of a Kashmiri proverb) while insisting that Police had observed “maximum possible restraint” in most of the mob attacks on them. “We have horrible videos of the Policemen being lynched. But we don’t put them on YouTube and Facebook for the CM’s BlackBerry”.
END
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