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Shopian curfew continues; extended to Anantnag

SHABIR AHMAD. Dated: 9/13/2013 11:50:49 PM

Clashes erupt at Gagran, Redwani; evening clashes in Shopian, Pulwama

SRINAGAR, Sep 13: Amid strict curfew in all the district headquarters of south Kashmir, clashes erupted at various places in Shopian and Kulgam districts.
Severe restrictions were also put in place in Redwani and Kakpora townships of Kulgam and Pulwama districts. Reports said that huge contingents of police and para-military CRPF were deployed in all the four major towns, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and Anantnag to enforce restrictions on the movement of the people. “Hundreds of police and CRPF men were deployed in the streets of all the townships to keep the people indoors. Forces did not even allow Friday congregational prayers in main Masjids of the townships while as prayers were offered in interior mosques,” reports said.
In Gagran area of Shopian, where the CRPF men killed at least five persons since Saturday last clashes, reports said, continued throughout the day. “Groups of youth in the morning assembled near Gagran and started throwing stones at CRPF men of 14 Battalion who in return resorted to heavy teargas shelling and used banned pepper gas to quell the stone throwing youth. The clashes continued till late evening in the area,” eyewitnesses said.
They said that in the evening when the curfew was lifted youth in huge numbers took to roads in Baba Mohalla, Jamia Masjid, Alyalpora, DC office and Jan Mohalla localities of the town and clashed with the forces. During the evening clashes, reports said, the forces resorted to intense tear gas shelling to quell the stone throwing youth.
In Redwani area of Kulgam district, clashes broke out between the forces and youth after the former tried to stop the later from taking out a procession after the Friday prayers. “After the Friday prayers, people particularly youth tried to take out a procession. As the forces deployed in the area in strength tried to stop them from marching ahead the angry youth pelted stones triggering clashes which continued for some time. Later in the evening, clashes again broke out after the youth resorted to heavy stone pelting at the forces when they were moving back to their stations,” eyewitnesses said.
They said the forces lobbed numerous tear smoke canisters to disperse the stone throwing youth.
Reports of evening clashes were also received from Pulwama town which reeled under strict curfew for the second running day. “During the day forces did not allow anybody to venture out. However, in the evening when the deployment was being withdrawn youth came out of their houses and pelted stones at police and CRPF men who in turn resorted to tear gas shelling. The clashes continued till late evening,” reports said.
In Anantnag, strict curfew was imposed by the authorities as a precautionary measure. Hundreds of police and CRPF men were deployed in the streets of the town to enforce restrictions on the movement of the people. However, no reports of clashes were received from any locality of the town. However, no reports of clashes were received from Kulgam town, which reeled under curfew for the fifth running day.