Youth dies in clashes in Budgam

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 21

A youth died during clashes between protesters and police in Budgam district while post-Friday protests were held at different places amid restrictions and shutdown called by separatists on the 105th day of the current unrest.

The clashes between the protesters and police took place at Nasrullah Pora and the adjoining Mirgund villages of Budgam district in central Kashmir after the Friday prayers. A police spokesman said Junaid Ahmad from Nasrullah Pora was brought to Jhelum Valley College Hospital this afternoon, where the doctors declared him brought dead. “According to doctors, prima facie Junaid died of a cardiac arrest as there were no marks of any injury on his body,” the police said. The residents alleged that the youth died of suffocation due to the shells lobbed by police personnel.

Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in Nowhatta, where Jamia Masjid is located, and its adjoining areas in the downtown to prevent any law and order situation. No Friday prayers have been offered at the mosque for the 15th Friday today since the trouble started in early July.

There were also reports of clashes in the Rawalpora and Burzullah areas of Srinagar city after the Friday prayers. The police resorted to a lathicharge, lobbed teargas and Pava shells to disperse the protesters. In Burzullah, protests were organised against the arrest of a youth on the charges of stone-throwing and disturbing public order.

In south Kashmir, more than 10 persons were injured in the clashes between the protesters and police in the Tral, Tahab and other areas of Pulwama district. The Tral area, the home town of militant commander Burhan Wani, whose killing triggered the ongoing unrest, has witnessed continued disturbed law and order situation in the past three and a half months.

In north Kashmir, a massive house-to-house search operation was launched in Baramulla during which nearly half a dozen suspected stone-throwers were detained by the police. One such drive was held on October 17 in which Chinese and Pakistan flags were recovered besides improvised petrol bombs.

According to reports, the search operations were held as security agencies also wanted to send a message after Chinese flags were waved by protesters. The searches were conducted today at Drangbal, Faqirwani and Suhail Colony of old Baramulla town. Police sources said the operation was launched following inputs of presence of suspected militants.

The security forces also cracked a whip on the people in the Civil Lines area of the town, who had gathered for Friday prayers at the Idgah grounds in Ushkara locality.