The authorities on Sunday imposed strict curfew and communication blockade to hamper separatists’ plans to hold a “referendum march” at the historic lal Chowk even as dozens of clashes took place between protesters and security forces across the Valley.
The authorities took into custody two prominent separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq when they attempted to march towards lal Chowk. A 16-year-girl from ludhiana, Jhanvi Behl, was also deported from Srinagar airport. She had planned to hoist tricolor at lal Chowk on Monday.
Normal life remained paralysed on 37th consecutive day since the unrest began a day after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on 8th of July.
At least 55 civilians and two policemen have been killed in the strife and thousands others have been wounded. The curfew and stringent restrictions continued in almost all major towns and areas across Kashmir. The areas include volatile Anantnag in south Kashmir and Srinagar District.
Elaborate security arrangements had been made to ensure law and order in view of separatists’ call for holding “referendum rally” on 2nd consecutive day at lal Chowk in Srinagar. On Saturday, the authorities disallowed the similar ‘referendum rally’. All entry and exit points leading to city centre lal Chowk had been sealed off with concertina wires and heavy deployment of police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel in Srinagar.
Reports said at least three youth sustained firearm injuries when security forces dispersed the protesters in central Kashmir's Soibugh area of Budgam district. The clashes followed after security forces pulled down Pakistani flags that had been hoisted last night. Scores sustained tear gas shell and pellet injuries during clashes that followed after youths and children held “pro Pakistan” rally and hoisted Pakistan flags in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town. At least ten pellet-injured persons including some children were shifted to Srinagar for treatment. Reports said nine people sustained injuries due to tear gas shelling and pellets in Malangpora Village of south Kashmir Pulwama District after security forces thwarted a ‘Referendum rally’. Scores of women including separatist all-women organisation ‘Dukhtaran-e-Millat’ chief Aasiya Andrabi, sustained injuries when forces fired teargas shells to quell a march in south Kashmir's Tral town.
Reports said several “pro-Pakistan” rallies attended by thousands of people were held in areas of Kulgam and Anantnag districts to commemorate the Pakistan Independence day. Pakistani flags were hoisted and waved. Reports said massive clashes followed after hundreds of people defied curfew in north Kashmir’s Bandipora town and hoisted a Pakistan flag on one of the telecommunication towers in the main-market Bandipora. National anthem of Pakistan was also played to commemorate the Pakistan Independence Day. Reports said a ‘Referendum Rally’ was also held in Beerwah area of central Kashmir’s Budgam. Reports said late evening clashes erupted in several old city and uptown areas.
J&K Police sent back the 15-year-old girl Jhanvi Behal from Srinagar airport. She had come from ludhiana to unfurl tricolour at historic clock tower in lal Chowk Srinagar on the occasion 70th Independence Day.
Octogenarian separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were not allowed to march towards lal Chowk to hold “Referendum Rally” as per their programme. However, both the separatist leaders held peaceful sit-in on roads outside their residences. They were later set free after detaining the duo at local police stations.
A police statement issued said, “the law and order situation remained peaceful in the most parts of Kashmir valley. Twenty one incidents of stone pelting were reported from Anantnag, Shopian, Awantipora, Budgam, Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore and Bandipora. About 2000 miscreants attacked an army camp at Dharmuna Soibugh, Budgam. While tackling with the huge mob six persons were injured. At Hillar in the jurisdiction of Police Station Kokernag, Anantnag miscreants about 200 in number tried to disrupt the traffic movement on Hillar-Kokernag road. They pelted stones on police and security forces. At Keegam, Shopian a group of miscreants, about 500 in number pelted stones on Police Post Keegam. At Tral Awantipora miscreants assembled at Shariefabad and Noor Masjid Tral and pelted stones on security force deployments. At Azad Gunj Baramulla miscreants assembled and pelted stones on security force deployments. At Bomie Sopore miscreants blocked the road and pelted stones on police. At Bandipora miscreants assembled at Nesu, Gulshan Abad and Mantrigam areas and pelted stones on security force deployments.”
The internet services through Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and BSNl broadband have been almost completely suspended in Kashmir especially to newspapers, other media houses and private users. The internet blockade has affected working of many newspaper organizations and media houses. The cross section of people are barred from submitting online application forms for various jobs, booking air tickets and hotels, writing e-mails for business activities, checking exam results, chatting with friends and relatives and other requirements.
The mobile internet services continued to remain suspended on 37th consecutive day in the Valley. Barring BSNl postpaid and landline phone services and broadband internet services, the private postpaid and prepaid mobile phone services have been suspended since Thursday night for the second time now during past over a month. Train services between Baramulla and Jammu's Banihal town have also remained suspended since July 9.