JKLF leader among 12 injured in Bemina

Srinagar: At least twelve people, including a senior pro-freedom leader on Friday were injured when Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police burst tear smoke shells and opened fire to quell pro-freedom demonstrations in Bemina area of the Srinagar city. Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed for a few hours in several districts, while rest of the Valley reeled under curfew for thirteenth straight day.
Reports and eyewitnesses told Press Bureau of India that a group of youth this evening took to streets at Gousia colony, Bemina and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations. Chanting pro-Independence and anti-India slogans, the people, mainly youth were protesting against the alleged atrocities by the forces. When the protesters tried to take out a march on the main road, CRPF and police lobbed teargas canisters to quell the marchers. In retaliation, the protesters pelted rocks and stones on the forces sparking off fierce clashes.
The forces, eyewitnesses said opened fire upon the protesters from their pellet guns resulting in injuries to at least a dozen people. Prominent Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader, Showkat Bakshi, his wife Shaheena, sister Qurat-ul-Ain and niece Anjum were also injured in the firing. The injured were removed to SK Institute of medical sciences, Bemina and later Soura.
When contacted, Medical Superintendent, SKIMS, Dr Syed Amin Tabish said that seven people, six among them with firearm injury were brought to hospital. “The condition of all the injured is stable,” he said.
“Late in the evening some miscreants defying the curfew restrictions, resorted to heavy stone pelting on security forces, at Gousia Colony Bemina in Srinagar. In an effort to control the situation by the security forces, three persons including one lady sustained minor injuries,” a police spokesman said.
However, a JKLF spokesman rejected the police claim and said that the people were returning home after staging peaceful protests against the excesses when CRPF and police opened fire from pellet guns on them. Bakshi and five of his family members, the spokesman said were injured in the firing.
“We condemn the terrorist attack on our leadership and the people. The people have been pushed to the wall,” the spokesman added.
When the news of Bemina incident spread in the city, scores of people breached curfew in Maisuma, the stronghold of JKLF leader Mohammad Yasin Malik and staged demonstrations. Besides shouting slogans, angry protesters also pelted rocks and stones on the forces.
Protesters and forces were also locked in ding-dong battles in Bagh-e-Mehtab, Tengpora area of the city.
In Hazratbal, a man identified as Mohammad Amin Khan was beaten by forces for violating curfew. He was removed to SKIMS.
Meanwhile, curfew remained in force in the Valley. State administration relaxed curfew in selected areas of South Kashmir’s Islamabad and Pulwama districts and Kupwara districts. A few hours relaxation in curfew was also given in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir.
A police spokesman said that curfew was relaxed in Trehgam and Kralpora area of the frontier Kupwara district from 03.30 PM to 6.00 PM while in the town it was eased from 3.15 PM to 6.30 PM.
In Kulgam curfew was eased from 1600 hours onwards. In Islamabad and Bijbehara curfew was lifted from 1630 hours to 1900 hours. In Ganderbal curfew was relaxed from 1700 hours to 1900 hours while Kangan witnessed relaxation from 1600 hours to 1900 hours.
In Srinagar, Baramulla, Shopian, Budgam and Bandipore curfew continued for the thirteenth straight day even as few hours of relaxation were provided in the last two days.
In Srinagar, thousands of paramilitary CRPF troops and policemen deployed in this capital city enforced strict curfew. Equipped with sophisticated weapons and riot gear, the forces manned the deserted streets, lanes and by lanes of city to scuttle any possible attempt by the people to breach the curfew and stage pro-freedom demonstrations. To restrict civilian movement, forces had placed iron barricades and spools of barbed wire on important roads and crossings.
At many places, the people were seen pleading before the forces to allow them to go their respective destinations. However, their pleas fell to the deaf ears.