Violence spills over to Jammu region from Kashmir; 47 hurt

Srinagar: A magistrate, an SSP and three other police officers were among 47 people injured today as stone-pelting incidents spilled over from Kashmir to Jammu region where violence took place in Doda district.

Meanwhile, the authorities extended curfew to many areas of Kashmir and snapped mobile telephony as part of a bid to foil a march called by separatists.

In the valley, more than three dozen incidents of stone pelting were reported from different districts including Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara and Bandipora, a police spokesman said.

35 people were injured in these incidents and the ensuing clashes after Friday prayers.

The violence spread from Kashmir to Jammu region with a mob turning violent after Friday prayers in Doda where some muslim groups had called for a bandh and a protest march in “solidarity” with the people of Kashmir.

“After Friday prayers, a mob turned violent and attacked the police party that was deployed in the town to maintain law and order and started pelting stones on them,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Doda Range) Nisar Ahmed said, adding 12 people were injured in these.

“A duty magistrate who was there on the duty with the police was hit on head with the stones,” he added.

In the stone-pelting, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Doda Zahid Naeem, SHO Uday Wazir, Sub-Inspector Kulbushan and two other police personnel were also injured.

To disperse the mobs, police used cane charge and lobbed teargas shells, leaving six protesters injured.

In Kashmir, one protester was hit by tear gas shell in the head during clashes in Tangmarg area of Baramulla district. He was admitted to a hospital in Srinagar and his condition is stated to be critical, a police official said.

At least 12 people were taken to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura for treatment after they were allegedly thrashed by security forces during clashes in Ganderbal area of central Kashmir, the official said, adding all the injured were discharged after first aid.

“After Friday prayers, miscreants assembled at various places and tried to disrupt the vehicular movement. At most of the places the miscreants started pelting stones on moving vehicles, police and security force deployments,” the police spokesman said.

Police and security forces exercised utmost restraint despite severe provocations at a number of places, the spokesman said, adding many police and security force men were injured during these clashes

At Arhama, Ganderbal, miscreants assembled on road and pelted stones on security forces.

While tackling the situation six persons were injured, he said.

The spokesman said at Dooru, Tangmarg, about 300-400 miscreants assembled on road and pelted stones on police and security forces. Two persons were injured, one of whom was shifted to Srinagar, he added.

“At Uttrsoo, Anantnag, miscreants pelted stones on police and security forces. While dispersing the mob, four persons suffered minor injuries who were discharged after first aid from the hospital,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, curfew was extended to many parts Kashmir today and severe restrictions were imposed in rest of valley to thwart the march to Eidgah called by the separatists.

Curfew was in place in entire Srinagar district, Anantnag town, Shopian town, Baramulla town, Awantipora and Pampore towns of Pulwama district, an official said.

He said curfew was also imposed in Ganderbal town, Budgam, Chadoora, Magam, Kunzer, Tangmarg and Pattan areas of the valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

Last Friday saw intense clashes between protestors and security forces at many places in the Valley after the congregational prayers. The clashes left three people dead and several hundred others injured.

The separatists had called on people to assemble at Eidgah in old city for paying tributes to those killed during the ongoing unrest.

Normal life remained affected in the Valley for the 35th consecutive day due to the curbs imposed by the authorities and separatist-sponsored strike against the killing of civilians in the security forces action.

As many as 55 people, including two cops, have died and several thousand others injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces.

Schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off the roads. The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said.

The mobile telephony services were snapped across telecom operators, except postpaid services of state-run BSNL, at midnight as a precautionary measure to curb rumour mongering.

Mobile Internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire Valley.

The separatists have extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till August 18 and as part of the protest programme has asked the people to hold “referendum” march at La Chowk on August 13 and 14.

Current unrest in Kashmir has religious tinge: PDP leader

PDP, which is in power in Jammu and Kashmir, today told the all-party meeting here that the current unrest has a religious tinge which is different from the past such episodes.

Senior PDP leader Muzaffar Baig, who attended the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also said that unlike the past, the unrest is in rural areas and not in urban parts, according to sources.

Giving an insight into the violence that has been taking place in Kashmir for the last 34 days, Baig said it was different from the past episodes like in 2010 as this time there was a religious tinge to it, the sources said.

At the meeting, representatives of most of the parties favoured end to use of pellet guns which have been the cause of maximum injuries.

In the context of dialogue, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandhyopadhyay said there is no use in talking to the “old faces” as the current unrest involves mainly the young people, the sources said.

His party colleague Derek O’Brien disapproved of the state government’s repeated snapping of mobile internet services.

He said rather than suspending the services, the government should communicate more with the youngsters using the internet whose density has gone up from 3 per cent to 30 per cent in the valley in the last few years.

DMK leader Kanimozhi, who was having difficulty in following the proceedings of the meeting which were mostly in Hindi, said similar was the situation with regard to Kashmiris as they were not able to understand the language of the central government, the sources said.

She said that next time, there should be mechanism for translation in such meetings.

B Mahtab of BJD said not only Pakistan, China too has a role in the unrest.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said it was better late than never that the Prime Minister had called the all-party meeting on Kashmir situation, the sources said.

Book those raising anti-national slogans in JK: DGP

Jammu:In a strict directive, Special DGP S K Mishra today asked police to book those raising anti-national slogans under relevant sections.

He directed police to ensure that those who post hate messages in social media including Facebook, WhatsApp that lead to communal tension and those raising anti-national slogans are booked.

These directions were passed to district police chiefs by him while holding a video conference with Range DIGs and District SSPs of Jammu Zone, a police spokesman said.

Threadbare discussion on deployment of police personnel, maintenance of law and order and other issues for smooth conduct of Independence Day celebrations were held, the spokesman said.

The Special DGP Coordination, who is holding charge of the State Police currently, called upon the officers to maintain synergy among various agencies and directed them to keep available required man power for the functions without affecting the law and order duties.

During the conference, he passed directions to the district SSPs to have a sharp look on Over Ground workers (OGWs).

They were also directed to ensure proper border management and deployment so that possible infiltration from the border areas can be stopped, the spokesman said.

Proper deployment should be ensured at vulnerable places, minority pockets besides all the religious places.

PTI