Tensions Increase In Kashmir On Eid Eve

SRINAGAR: Tension continues to mount in Kashmir on the eve of Eid-Ul-Adha with the authorities mulling to impose strict restrictions in Srinagar and major towns to prevent the assembly of people across the Valley. Protests continued for the 66th day after the killing of Hizb 'commander' Burhan Wani on July 8.

The “joint resistance leadership” including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik today appealed the “nation” to offer Eid Nimaz at 8:30 am on Tuesday across the Valley.

The sources however said the government was considering preventing people from “gathering in large numbers” on the Eid occasion tomorrow fearing it might lead to escalation in the situation.

“There would be restrictions in place,” said a senior government official, posted in Srinagar, without explaining.

A senior police official said “restrictions” have been imposed in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama and Budgam districts even as there were reports about clashes between government forces and protestors.

Eye Witnesses said that a large gathering of youth from Ganderbal took out a protest march which was stopped by police and paramilitary CRPF, leading to clashes between the two sides, following which the forces fired tear-gas shells.

The fresh escalation comes a day after 20-year old Javaid Ahmad Dar from Wadwan area of Budgam succumbed to injuries, taking death toll to 80 in ongoing unrest in the Valley, at a Srinagar hospital where he was admitted on August 5 with a bullet injury in his leg, damaging his blood vessel. The doctors had already amputated his leg as a “measure to save his life”.

Though there were no injuries reported from any district till this afternoon, on Sunday, the Valley however witnessed injuries to over 250 people as forces foiled the “pro-freedom rallies” which were scheduled in different districts.

In Karimabad village of Pulwama alone, over 120 people had sustained injuries following teargas shelling and pellet firing by the forces on the protestors.

Meanwhile, eight militants and a policeman were killed in three separate encounters across Kashmir since Sunday afternoon.

While Army claimed having killed four militants near Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam Sector of Kupwara district on Sunday morning, three militants and a policeman were killed in twin encounters in Poonch district of Jammu yesterday.

This morning, a police official said, body of another militant was found inside an under construction building in Poonch during the search operations.