Curfew ends, one more dies in fresh clashes

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 26

A 61-year-old man died in a road accident during clashes in Srinagar and 14 others were injured in action by security forces across Kashmir today even as protests erupted again in some areas after the authorities lifted curfew from the entire Valley except Anantnag.

Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Rajouri Kadal in the city, lost control of his scooty when he was caught in clashes between protesters and security forces in Eidgah area of the city, a police official said. He suffered head injuries and was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, there were protest demonstrations in Srinagar with people marching on the roads in several localities even as the authorities lifted curfew from all parts of the Kashmir valley except parts of Anantnag district today  after 17 days.

Demonstrations and clashes occurred in parts of south Kashmir in which several protesters were injured.

The police today announced that postpaid mobile services, which were snapped following the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani on July 8, would be restored across Kashmir.

Internet services remained suspended from the night of July 8 while mobile services were stopped from the night of July 14. However, BSNL mobile and broadband service on landlines had remained functional.

Soon after curfew was lifted from the summer capital this morning, demonstrations were held in various areas. Residents took to the streets in protest against the series of killings across Kashmir during the past over two weeks.

Police and CRPF personnel had a tough time in quelling the demonstrators who marched to Lal Chowk. The police lobbed teargas shells to prevent the protesters from marching ahead.

The authorities lifted curfew restrictions from all areas of Srinagar today for the first time after trouble broke out across the Kashmir valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

In south Kashmir, clashes erupted at various places in Anantnag, Kulgam and Pulwama districts. At least six persons received pellet injuries in Anantnag district, according to reports reaching here. They were taken to the district hospital, from where they were referred to the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar.

The situation remained peaceful and under control across the Valley today, according to a police spokesman. “Some stray stone-throwing incidents were reported from a few places,” he said. The police said shops remained open at many places and traffic plied as normal. 

MHA sets up panel on pellet gun alternatives 

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday approved the constitution of a seven-member expert committee to look at other options to pellet guns in controlling protesters. The panel will be headed by TVSN Prasad, Joint Secretary, MHA, and its other members will be Atul Karwal, Inspector General (IG), CRPF, Srinagar; Rajeev Krishna, IG (Ops) BSF; Rajesh Kumar, IPS officer, J&K Police; Tushar Tripathy, DDG, Small Arms, Ordnance Factory Board; Manjit Singh, Director, Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory, Chandigarh; and Dr Naresh Bhatnagar, Professor, IIT, Delhi. The committee will submit its report within two months.