Srinagar: Twenty-five people were on Friday injured in clashes between protesters and security forces in the Kashmir Valley including in Baramulla where troops opened fire to quell stone pelters.
Curfew was lifted from Anantnag after four days today while elsewhere in the Valley, life returned to normal this morning after the hardline Hurriyat Conference suspended protests for the day, the last Friday of Ramzan. Five persons were injured in firing in Baramulla in north Kashmir, 55 kms from here, police said.
The incident took place when a group of armymen were removing two "objectionable" flags from atop a communication tower and were attacked by stone pelters, they said. Initially, the troops fired some warning shots but as the mob refused to disperse, security forces opened fire in self-defence. Two of the critically injured identified as Tanvir Ahmad Gojri and Farooq Ahmad Tantray were referred to Srinagar for treatment.
A woman was also injured when she was hit by a stone during the clash, police said. Earlier during the day, eight policemen and three civilians were injured in clashes at Kangan, 40 kms from here in Ganderbal district, while eight others were hurt in similar clashes at Nowhatta, Gojwara and Noushehra in interior Srinagar and Sopore town of Baramulla district. Shops and other commercial establishments opened early in the morning as people flocked to markets ahead of Id. Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had yesterday exempted September 5 and nine from strikes before Id. However, schools and government offices remained closed after the state government announced a public holiday. All modes of public transport could be seen plying on roads with many intersections in the city witnessing massive traffic jams. Serpentine queues were seen outside ATMs but banks were closed on account of public holiday. "Curfew was lifted from Anantnag town this morning as the law and order situation improved and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the area over the past three days," a senior police officer said.
Curfew was imposed in the town on August 30 after a youth was killed allegedly in firing by security forces. However, curfew was imposed in Kunzar area along the Srinagar-Gulmarg road, 35 kms from here, following protests, official sources said. They said the residents were protesting against the alleged police inaction in the case relating to the murder of 17-year-old Sameera last month. The Valley has been rocked by violence following the death of a teenager on June 11 after he was allegedly hit by a tear smoke shell near Rajouri Kadal area of the old city. Street protests have claimed 65 lives so far in the Valley. PTI
