SRINAGAR: Dozens of people were injured in fresh clashes between youth and security personnel at many places of strife-hit Kashmir, where curfew and shutdown remained in force for 35th consecutive day on Friday.
A police official said curfew and restrictions were enforced in all parts of the Valley to prevent people from staging anti-government rallies and protests.
Thousands of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley to enforce restrictions. The cops at most of the places did not allow kind of public movement and enforced tough curfew.
Due to the curbs, Friday congregational prayers could not be offered in many mosques and shrines in the Valley including the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar. It was for the 5th consecutive week today that the Friday prayers were disallowed in Jamia.
Defying curfew and restrictions, youth took to roads at many places in the Valley and staged anti-India demonstrations and clashed with the security personnel.
Massive clashes took place at Langate area of North Kashmir’s Kuwpara district. In the clashes at least 18 youth sustained injuries.
The clashes were also reported from Qaimouh area in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, Ajar, Nowpora, Hajin areas of North Kashmir's Bandipora district, Sopore in Baramulla, Arhama in central Kashmir, Dooru Tangmarg in North Kashmir, Uttrsoo Anantnag in South Kashmir and many other places including summer capital Srinagar. During the clashes, cops fired tear smoke shells, pellets and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse the protesting youth, who pelted stones on them.
Over 100 people sustained injured in the clashes. Many of the injured were hit by pellets and tear gas shells.
Kashmir has been on boil after Burhan’s killing and at least 58 people including two policemen have been killed and over 8000 including 4500 civilians injured in the clashes between security personnel and youth during protests in last 35 days.
Authorities today also snapped internet services provided by a private firm CNS.
The firm, according to police official, was directed to suspend the internet services till the evening of August 15.
The police official said the measure was taken in view of the protest marches called by separatists.
The authorities today again suspended mobile services, except postpaid facility on BSNL.
A police official said the services were snapped across the Valley at midnight to maintain law and order.
Mobile services, except BSNL postpaid, were first snapped in Valley on July 15 in the aftermath of violence following killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on July 8.
While the postpaid services were resumed on July 26, the incoming call facility on the prepaid numbers was restored a day later. However, the outgoing facility on prepaid numbers continued to remain barred.
A police spokesman said over three dozen incidents of stone pelting were reported from different parts of the Valley today.
“After Friday prayers, youth assembled at various places and tried to disrupt the vehicular movement. At most of the places, the youth started pelting stones on moving vehicles, police and security force deployments,” he said.
The spokesman said the deployments exercised utmost restraint despite severe provocations at a number of places. “Many police/security force men have been reported injured during these clashes”.
Meanwhile, at least 12 people including SSP Doda, DySP, SHO were injured in clashes between youth and cops in many parts of Doda district of Jammu province after Friday prayers. The Doda also observed shutdown against the civilian killings in Kashmir.
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