Kashmir unrest: 250 injured in fresh clashes

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 4

More than 250 people were injured in fresh clashes with security forces in Kashmir on Sunday as a 28-member all-party delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived here to interact with a cross-section of people with a view to restore peace in the strife-hit Valley.

Protesters in Kashmir’s Anantnag district and Pinjora village in Shopian took to the streets a day after another youngster was killed in police action in south Kashmir’s Qazigund, prompting security forces to fire tear smoke shells and pellets.

Several were injured in action by security forces in Pinjora.

An enraged mob later set the mini-secretariat at Shopian on fire, damaging some property, eyewitnesses said. Protests continued in Shopian till the time of filing this report.

Health officials in Shopian and Anantnag confirmed that nearly 100 people with pellet and shell injuries were admitted to hospitals.

Clashes also broke out at Aripanthan area of Budgam district, where two people suffered pellets injuries in firing by security forces. Both the injured were shifted to public health centres at Aripanthan and Beerwah, where their condition was stated to be stable.

Protestors attacked a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator house in Tral.

Protesters from various villages in Tral marched to the town’s Eidgah – a large ground where annual Eid prayers are offered — prompting security forces to fire several tear smokes shells.

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They then threw stones at Tral MLA Mushtaq Ahmad Shah’s house.

“They were young, innocent boys. They pelted some stones at my house and broke windowpanes,” Shah said.

Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, whose killing in July has sparked protests that will soon mark its second month, belonged to Tral.

Four youths were killed in firing by security forces on August 16 at Aripanthan which continues to be tense since then.

The all-party delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Srinagar on Sunday morning to a complete shutdown of the Valley and restrictions.

Contingents of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed across Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, although curfew was not imposed.

The delegation of various political parties will talk to people to find “find a way out of the present crisis.” — (Inputs from Ehsan Fazili, Samaan Lateef and Majid Jahangir)