Curfew, shutdowns continue in J&K, 60 hurt

Policemen stop MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid and members of the Awami Itihad Party who were holding a protest march against civilian killings in Srinagar. (Photo: PTI )

Army’s Northern Command chief, Lt.-Gen. D.S. Hooda, on Thursday flew in here from the garrison town of Udhampur for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the Valley where protests and clashes amid curfews and shutdowns continued on the 27th consecutive day, leaving over sixty persons injured.

The areas which witnessed protests and clashes between irate youth and security force include Sirigufwara and Aishmuqam in Anantnag, Kaloosa in Bandipore, Chotipora in Kupwara, Bongam and Bonbazaar in Shopian and Kanelwan in Pulwama districts. Security forces fired teargas canisters and pellet guns to quell the protests, reports received here said.

In Srinagar, Independent MLA and leader of regional Awami Itehad Party, Mr Sheikh Abdur Rashid, was arrested by the police along with his supporters as they tried to march on the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan at Sonwar to present a memorandum. A protest shutdown against the killing in the Valley was held in the hilly town of Kishtwar, whereas people held demonstrations on the streets in Doda.

Soon after his arrival here, Lt.-Gen. Hooda closeted with Lt.-Gen. Satish Dua, the commander of Srinagar-based 15 (Chinar) Corps, and other senior Army officers to review the situation in the hinterland and along the Line of Control (LoC). He later visited some areas and interacted with Army jawans and officers. He “reinforced the need to maintain high vigil and also urged troops to continue exercising maximum restraint while dealing with the protesting crowds and sensitise people, especially the youth, to eschew violence and to usher in peace at the earliest.” He also appreciated the various humanitarian initiatives by the troops to bring succour to common people affected due to the ongoing unrest and exhorted them to sustain this positive engagement with the people, a defence spokesman here said.

Later, the two commanders met chief minister Mehbooba Mufti at her official residence and discussed the prevailing security situation in the Valley.

The spokesman, Colonel N.N. Joshi, said that Lt.-Gen Hooda assured the chief minister that the Army will provide all possible assistance to the state government for restoring peace and tranquillity in the Valley at the earliest.

“He appealed to all sections of society, especially the youth, to exercise calm and maintain peace. He said that the prevailing state of violence has caused a lot of loss in terms of education of children, damage to public property, loss to traders and daily wagers and has badly affected tourism,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International called on the government to immediately stop the use of pellet guns in policing protests.