Witnesses said the locals resisted the security forces’ raid at the venue of the rally leading to a clash, during which the latter lobbed teargas and fired pellet guns injuring over a dozen people.
Advertisement
On 31 August, as the authorities chose to lift the curfew from all areas of Kashmir, fresh clashes broke out between security forces and protesters in the Sopore area of North Kashmir, claiming the life of a 15-year-old boy.
The improvement in the situation across Kashmir had prompted authorities to lift curfew, an official said. “With this curfew has now been lifted from entire Kashmir valley as no area in any district of Valley is under restrictions”, the Divisional Commissioner said.
Danish Manzoor, 15, and six other persons were injured when security forces allegedly opened fire at stone-pelting protesters in Lodora in Sopore area, a police officer said.
A rally organized by Democratic Political Movement at Abi Guzar, Lal Chowk in Srinagar demanded of the UN General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon, to play role in settlement of the Kashmir dispute. “The heavy deployment of security forces at some places is to maintain law and order”, a police official said.
With the killing of the youth, the death toll in region has reached 71 after the protests that began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.
Meanwhile, the house of PDP MP Nazir Ahmad Laway was attacked and policemen deployed there were disarmed by a mob.
Despite the lifting of the curfew, shops and schools remained closed because of a protest strike called by separatists challenging India’s sovereignty over Kashmir.
Many youth were injured in Trehgam area of Kupwara district when Indian forces fired teargas shells, pellets and other ammunition on the protestors.
At least 69 civilians have been killed and thousands injured, mostly by government forces firing bullets and shotguns at rock-throwing protesters.
Advertisement
Many Kashmiri-Americans live in the metro Chicago area, and their relatives are among those who’ve witnessed or experienced the violence in Kashmir, it said.
