The debate in the Rajya Sabha on Kashmir on Wednesday had little impact on the situation in embattled Valley as several protesters got injured in clashes with security forces and normal life remained crippled for the 33rd consecutive day due to shutdown, curfew, restrictions and fear of stone-pelting. Dozens of protest rallies were held across the Valley, including a boat rally in south Kashmir where protesters carrying green flags chanted pro-freedom slogans while rowing their way through Jhelum River.
At least eight people were injured in fresh clashes that erupted in north Kashmir's Kupwara. A 22-year-old Shabir Ahmad lone is reported to have sustained spleen injury due to tear gas shell.
Reports said that thousands of people attended pro-freedom rallies at Dadsara Tral, Dangarpora Padgampora in Awantipora , Qaimoh in Kulgam, boat rally in Bijbehara Anantnag in south Kashmir and Hyderpora in Srinagar. Stone-pelting incidents were reported from Sangrama Sopore, Tattoo Ground, Noor Bagh, Chattabal, Qamarwari and Batmaloo areas of Srinagar.
Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who is under house detention at his Srinagar residence, addressed the Qaimoh rally telephonically. He said that Kashmiri people have witnessed Jallianwala Bag-like massacres umpteen times.
Reports said people staged protests raising 'anti-police and anti-Government' slogans at Tengpora Batamaloo in Srinagar demanding action against DySP Yasir Qadri accused of killing local youth Shabir Ahmad Mir at his residence on July 10. District Magistrate Srinagar Farooq lone has ordered exhumation of body of the slain youth for conducting autopsy. Earlier, in response to State Government's petition the Supreme Court ruled that no arrest of DySP should be made or FIR lodged against DSP. The apex court's verdict overruled the CJM and High Court verdict in favour of lodging FIR against the middle-rung police official.
The DM said the entire process of exhumation would be conducted in the presence of close relatives of the deceased, who might want to be present.
Meanwhile, scores of doctors held a rally on the premises of Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital against the civilian killings in Kashmir and the brazen misuse of pellet guns on common people. Doctors had bandaged their one eye to exhibit the pain of victims who are at the verge of losing eyesight due to pellet injuries. More than 300 people, mostly youngsters, have been hit in their eyes with pellets.
However, a police spokesman described the situation in Kashmir as normal and under control. "Barring a few incidents of stone pelting, the overall situation here remained normal. About 300 miscreants assembled near Sangrama in the jurisdiction of Police Station Tarzoo, Sopore and started pelting stones on police. later, they were chased away by using mild force," police said.
Meanwhile, curfew continued in Anantnag town in south Kashmir and in areas under five old city police stations and Batmaloo police station in uptown Srinagar. The curfew like restrictions also continued in Kupwara, langate, lolab, Handwara and other areas in north Kashmir's Kupwara district. Police officials told AIR correspondent that the prohibitory restrictions under Section 144 CrPc continued in south Kashmir's Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts. Similar restrictions continued in Budgam, Ganderbal, Sopore and Baramulla. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.
Amid current turmoil, the first batch of 680 Hajj pilgrims left for Madinah Munawarah. As a customary practice, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti saw off the first batch at Srinagar Airport.
Separatists have called for march towards 'Martyrs Graveyard' on Thursday at Eidgah in old city Srinagar to pay tributes to slain separatist leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz and those killed during 2008 uprising.