With Kashmir on the boil over the killing of five civilians in actions taken by security forces in five days, the mother of the girl, whose alleged molestation by an Army man triggered the protests, on Saturday claimed that the police had put pressure on the girl to give a statement denying that she was molested.
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The girl, whose alleged molestation led to a wave of violence and police firing on protestors in Handwara and other parts of north Kashmir, recorded her statement on Saturday evening before a magistrate and said she was not molested. The critically injured youth was identified as Arif Hussain Dar of Aawora Kupwor who succumbed minutes after being shot.
Curfew was also enforced in the north Kashmir Handwara town and parts of the border district of Kupwara.
There were no restrictions in Srinagar on Sunday, which has so far passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the valley, a police official said here.
Call for the shutdown had been given by the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, and Hurriyet leaders, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.
As a precautionary measure and to prevent trouble-mongers from spreading rumours, authorities also snapped cellphone internet for the time being.
Health officials in Kupwara said the three wounded were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment.
Sopore, a small group of 40 people indulged in stone-pelting after Friday prayers, a police official said.
Meanwhile, a police spokesperson said: “There were massive violent protests in Handwara and Kupwara areas today”.
“Last night (Wednesday), around 1:00 a.m., the father of the victim was called to the Handwara police station”.
A teenage boy has been killed in fresh Army firing in the restive Kupwara district on Friday, officials said.
“The mob attacked the RR camp in Natnusa (Kupwara) and despite dozens of bullets fired in the air to warn them, the protesters mounted the wall of the camp and tried to enter it”, he added. My daughter is just 16 years old and was pressurised by the police to give that statement, her mother told reporters in Srinagar. She also chaired a meeting of local officers which was attended by deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, minister for rural development Abdul Haq Khan, Handwara MLA Sajad Lone, chief secretary BR Sharma, DGP K Rajendra Kumar and senior Army officer.
Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled for today.
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Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) convener Khurram Parvez told IANS: “Police have cordoned the JKCCS office and are not allowing the media to speak to the family of the girl who was sexually assaulted in Handwara”.
