Sabzar's killing triggers spontaneous shutdown, clashes
Police and paramilitary CRPF men who were deployed in strength in the area fired dozens of tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protestors, who offered stiff resistance and retaliated with stones, triggering clashes
ABID BASHIR/SYED RIZWAN GEELANI
Srinagar, Publish Date: May 28 2017 1:00AM | Updated Date: May 28 2017 1:00AM
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Sabzar's killing triggers spontaneous shutdown, clashes
Photo: Aman Farooq/GK |
At least 55 persons, including 25 policemen, sustained injuries in clashes that broke out in old city and in some uptown areas in Srinagar on Saturday following the killing of Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad and his aide in a gunfight with government forces in south Kashmir’s Tral area. The news about Sabzar’s killing triggered a spontaneous shutdown in Srinagar city and north Kashmir areas.
As soon as the news about the Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad and his close aide being killed reached Srinagar, youth took to streets at Nowhatta, Bohri Kadal, Saraf Kadal, Gojwara, Sekidafar, Rajouri Kadal, Kawdara, Habba Kadal and other adjoining areas in old city and staged massive pro-freedom demonstrations.
Police and paramilitary CRPF men who were deployed in strength in the area fired dozens of tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protestors, who offered stiff resistance and retaliated with stones, triggering clashes which spilled over to almost entire old Srinagar.
Massive clashes also erupted in Maisuma, Batamaloo, Rawalpora and Rangreth areas in uptown Srinagar.
The news of Sabzar’s killing led to shopkeepers closing their shops, while traffic movement also decreased on the city roads, reports said. Late evening reports said that evening clashes were going on in many old city areas and also in a few uptown areas, including Batamaloo and Rawalpora near Railway Bridge.
Central Kashmir
Central Kashmir’s Budgam district observed a spontaneous shutdown while youth clashed with forces personnel at Beerwah and Chadoora towns, witnesses said.
They said as the word about Sabzar’s killing spread students assembled at main Chadoora Chowk and clashed with the force personnel deployed there.
Witnesses said students of Khag Higher Secondary School staged protests and enforced shutdown in Khag area. Clashes also broke out between the students and policemen in Ganderbal and Kangan areas on Saturday afternoon. The shopkeepers downed their shutters and traffic was affected.
The students of Government higher secondary school Kangan staged protests at Kangan market. Other small townships including Tulamulla, Safapora, Baroosa, and Nagbal observed shutdown.
North Kashmir
Reports said that clashes erupted between students and government forces at Sumbal in north Kashmir's Bandipora district. Scores of students of HSS Sumbal and GDC Sumbal took out a protest march and hurled stones at police station Sumbal. "Police fired dozens of tear smoke shells to disperse protesting students, triggering clashes," reports said.
Meanwhile, Bandipora town observed spontaneous shutdown soon after the news about the killing of Sabzar Bhat spread in the town. Later, students of Girls Higher secondary Plan, boys higher secondary school Kaloosa and GDC Bandipora took out a protest rally and marched towards police station Bandipora. As they reached near police station, forces deployed outside the police station fired teargas shells to disperse them, triggering clashes which lasted for an hour.
Similar clashes were witnesses at Hajin, Chittibandey, Aragam and Papchan areas in Bandipora district.
Reports from north Kashmir’s Spore area said massive clashes rocked Sopore town after scores of students of Government boys Higher Secondary School Sopore staged protests.
Sources said that the protestors assembled at Iqbal market In Sopore and staged a massive protest. However, police and paramilitary men reached there and used force to disperse the protesters, who retaliated with stones triggering massive clashes.
Sources from Baramulla district said following killing of Hizb commander, Baramulla town observed a spontaneous shutdown. The shutdown was marked by clashes between students.
Reports said the news of killing of Hizb commander triggered massive student protests in colleges and higher secondary schools.
In Baramulla town, Police lobbed scores of teargas shells after students of Boys Degree College Baramulla tried to take out a protest march from the college, reports said.
Meanwhile, a student, Nauman Ahmad, pursuing journalism course at Degree College Baramulla was allegedly thrashed by police and his equipment including a camera were seized by the cops, reports said.
Police had to face tough time during the protest carried out by the girl students of girls higher secondary school and Women's college Baramulla. Police lobbed scores of teargas shells to quell the protesting girl students at Tehsil road of the town.
In Pattan and Palhallan areas of Baramulla district, clashes between youths and police were witnessed for the whole day.
Reports from Handwara area said that students clashed with and policemen while in neighbouring Kupwara town youth assembled and raised pro-freedom slogans.
Reports of students’ protests and clashes were also received from Langate and Handwara town of Kupwara district.
Reports said clashes between government forces and protesters erupted in Kralpora area in Kupwara which affected the traffic movement.
Students hit streets again
Campuses across Kashmir erupted once again following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and his close associate.
Reports said students of Women’s College MA road Srinagar were vacated from the campus and the authorities suspended the class work for whole day. “We suspended the class work at around 12 pm as the news about killing of militants spread in Kashmir. We asked the girls to leave for their homes to avoid any untoward situation,” said a Professor in Women’s College M A Road.
Also, the class work was suspended at SP College Srinagar as a precautionary measure to avoid student protest in wake of the militant killings. However, the Principal SP College, said the class work was suspended in wake of death of father of a staffer “The father of one of our staffers has passed away and we suspended the classes to offer condolences to the bereaved staffer,” the Principal said.
Meanwhile, panic gripped Lal Chowk after students from various neighboring institutions staged a protest and started pelting stones on CRPF bunker at Exchange road this afternoon.
Student protests also erupted at Amar Singh College and Polytechnic College in Gogji Bagh area.
Protests erupted inside Kashmir University campus. The students took out a protest march within the campus and later dispersed off peacefully.
Students of Government Degree College Bijbehara blocked Bijbehara-Pahalgam road near Degree College Bijbehara.
Separatists Caged
Authorities placed almost all the separatist leaders under house arrest. Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani continued to remain under house arrest at his Hyderpora residence, Chairman Hurriyat (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest at his Nigeen residence. Others that include senior resistance leaders Shabir Ahmed also continued to remain under house arrest while as resistance leaders that include Advocate Shahidul Islam, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Ayaz Akbar, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Muhammad Ashraf Laya, Hilal Ahmed War, and many others were also placed under house arrest.
Rail Services suspended
Authorities suspended Baramulla-Srinagar-Banihal rail services for indefinite period.
Police Version
A police spokesman said stone pelting incidents were reported from about two dozen places in Kashmir. “The gatherings of miscreants pelted stones on police establishments and forces camps. They also pelted stones on the moving vehicles on the busy roads and in the Chowks,” he said.
“Police and security forces rushed to tackle the protestors. They were also pelted upon in which 25 police and security forces personnel were injured. During these incidents 12 miscreants were also injured,” he said.
