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Geelani extends strike till Sunday / His Basic Amenities ‘Snapped’
Srinagar, June 5: The Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, on Friday extended the strike call against the alleged rape and killing of two young women in Shopian to Sunday.
To prevent Geelani from communicating future program on the Shopian incident to the people, authorities reportedly snapped all his telephone lines and power supply. Under house arrest for the past two days, he was not allowed to address a press conference at his Hyderpora residence today.
A large contingent of police had blocked all the roads leading to Geelani’s house. He informed the journalists about extension of the strike by phone. “I appeal the people to continue the strike till Sunday. We will announce a comprehensive program on the same day,” Geelani told Greater Kashmir.
He also supported the Sunday Eidgah Chalo program for women called by the chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Syeda Aasiya Andrabi. However, before be could complete his statement, his phone got disconnected abruptly. The office bearers of Hurriyat said the police had snapped the phone, water and power supply to Geelani’s house and office.
“The policemen snapped the landline and seized many cell phones from Hurriyat office. They have also installed jammers outside the office,” they said.
Meanwhile, Aasiya extended support to Geelani’s strike call and condemned snapping of his telephone and power lines.

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Fuming Friday / Police Quell Protests, Scores Wounded In Daylong Clashes
Srinagar, June 5: Scores of protesters were injured when police and paramilitary troopers used force to quell demonstrations on Friday, like they did over the past five days, amid complaints that in several areas the policemen had damaged properties.
The outrage against the alleged rape and murder of a teenaged girl and her pregnant sister-in-law in Shopian intensified all over the valley today. Breaking the continued siege by thousands of police and CRPF troopers, people tried to stage peaceful demonstrations in several areas of the old city, but faced bamboo sticks, teargas shells and rubber bullets.
In Nowhatta scores of youths staged a pro-freedom and anti-government demonstration in the main street. The protesters dispersed peacefully, but the peaceful demonstration from Jamia Masjid side was stopped by police and CRPF troopers, witnesses said. Police fired tear gas shells to chase them away when they refused to disperse. The residents of several localities in Nowhatta said the CRPF troopers entered the residential areas and smashed window panes of houses and parked cars.
In Maisuma, clashes erupted when police didn’t allow the protest march led by JKLF chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik, to proceed ahead. He led a demonstration after Friday prayers but was stopped by the police near Akhara building, and when the police arrested him, the protesters offered stiff resistance. Policemen barged into Maisuma lanes but were greeted with brickbats by women. For several hours later the youth clashed with police who fired dozens of tear gas shells into lanes and houses. Policemen were seen breaking window panes of houses with stones.
At Hazratbal, special prayers were held in the Dargah Asar-e-Sharif for the Shopian victims. In his sermon, the Imam warned people against falling prey to communal forces who were trying to divide them. After the prayers, people tried to take to streets shouting pro-freedom slogans, but a large contingent of policemen and CRPF troopers stopped them.
At Eidgah and Safa Kadal, residents said the CRPF troopers beat up pedestrians, smashed window panes, and abused women. Muhammad Altaf, a resident told Greater Kashmir that troopers threatened they would burn the Mohalla if people demonstrated again.
At Batamaloo, the residents said police and CRPF troopers entered the residential areas and lobbed tear gas shells into houses. “They fired at water tanks and damaged properties,” the residents of Dhobi Mohalla said.
After Friday prayers, hundreds of protesters shouted pro-freedom slogans on roads in Chanapora, but police and CRPF troopers rained tear gas shells at them. A couple of protesters were hit by rubber bullets, witnesses said. The CRPF then entered the interiors of the area and smashed window panes of several houses. A protest demonstration was also held in Kursoo Rajbagh.
At Gojwara, people offered prayers for Shopian victims and Nisar Ahmad of Barzulla who died on Thursday of wounds sustained in a teargas shell hit on Monday.
NORTH KASHMIR
Protests continued at several places in Varmul, Kupwara and Bandipora districts after the Friday prayers against the Shopian incident. Police and paramilitary was deployed in large numbers in major towns and marketplaces to deal with the protests.
In the old town of Varmul, scores of slogan-shouting protesters took out a rally from Bait-ul-Muqaddas Masjid. The rally was stopped by police who fired teargas canisters to quell the protests offering stiff resistance by pelting stones. The dingdong clashes continued till late evening.
Protests were also held at nearby Khawaja-Bagh and Kanispora, and Ladoora village in Rafiabad.
Kupwara also witnessed a complete bandh while protests were held in Kupwara town, Nutnusa, Kulangam, Trehgam and Handwara.
An attempt to take out a massive rally from Jamia Masjid Sopur was foiled by police and CRPF. This led to protestors stoning the Police Station. The CRPF then entered houses in Arampora and ransacked many houses including the one belonging to the brother of former judge, Malik Shareif Din.
A complete strike was observed in Bandipora district where a large demonstration was organized in the town centre. Panic gripped the town after a loud noise reportedly caused by a cracker burst triggered ding dong battles between protestors and police.
In Ganderbal district, several persons were injured in clashes amid complete shutdown against the Shopian incident. In the morning hundreds of policemen and paramilitary forces were deployed in the district and all the entry points were sealed. However, youths held protest demonstrations at several places including Saloora, Duderhama, Beehama, Kangan, Kurhama and Tawheed Chowk.
Raising slogans ‘Qatiloon ko saza do (punish the murders), Aasiya, Neelofar tere khoon se inqilaab ayega (Aasiya, Neelofar your blood will start a revolution), we want freedom,’ the youths led by Hurriyat leader Abdul Khaliq Sofi assembled in Tawheed Chowk and tried to march towards DC office, but the police swung into action and chased the protesters away. Sofi accused the PDP, NC and Congress of being anti-people and anti-Kashmir.
Protest demonstrations were also held at Hospital Road, Duderhama and Beehama Chowk, Saloora, Kurhama. At all the places, police and paramilitary troopers resorted to cane charge and lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse protesters.
SOUTH KASHMIR
Reports from Islamabad said police arrested several youth from various parts of the town in overnight raids while protests continued against Shopian incident. The arrested youth included Atif Hassan alias Babloo of Deva Colony, Asif Dar of Dabran, Afroz Najar of Dangerpora, Rayees Ahmad of Sherpora, Hamid Gatoo of Mattan Chowk and Qazi Shibli brother of Mirwaiz Islamabad, Qazi Yasir. Family members of the arrested youth alleged the police ruthlessly beat their wards before pulling them in.
Meanwhile, heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces was made in the entire Islamabad town today to foil attempts to take out processions after Friday prayers. Incidents of stone pelting were reported from Malakhnag and Sherpora.
However, in the evening, youth assembled in groups at Malakhnag, Cheeni Chowk and Reeshi Bazar and started pelting stones on the troopers. They were chased away by the troopers through baton charge. The troopers allegedly beat several pedestrians.
Late in the evening hundreds of people shouting slogans staged protest demonstrations to protest the arrest of the youth. The protesters were marching throughout the town when reports last came.
Reports of minor stone pelting were also received from Chinar town Bijbehara and Dooru.
In Kulgam several people including cops were injured in the clashes at different places amid strict restrictions and shutdown. The youth assembled on the streets after Friday prayers and tried to take out procession. However the troopers quelled the protesters by resorting to baton charge. The youth retaliated by stone pelting in Main Chowk, Ganai Mohala and several other places. The protesters offered stiff resistance and the pitched battles continued till reports last came.
People alleged that the troopers ransacked the houses, thrashed the windowpanes and beat up the inmates including women and children.

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50 protesters hurt in Shopian
Shopian, June 5: At least 50 civilians were injured when police and CRPF men unleashed brute force- firing bullets and tear gas shells- on peaceful protesters in Shopian district Friday. The people were protesting against the rape and murder of a teenager and her sister-in-law, allegedly by troops.
Reports said a huge procession comprising people from Vehil, Meemander, Shirmal, Narwaw, Tukroo, Gagren, Palpora, Dangam, Wangam and Kachdoora was on its way to Shopian town in the afternoon when they were stopped by police and CRPF near Gagren.
Police and CRPF men used force on the demonstrators, triggering violent clashes. Around 50 persons were injured in the police action on the protesters and the resultant clashes, which were continuing till reports last came in. Some of the injured are Mubarak Ahmad Wani, Tariq Ahmad Mir, Muhammad Ashraf Mir, Aijaz Ahmad Wani of Gagren besides Gulzar Ahmad of Gabarpora. Aijaz Ahmad was rushed to Srinagar in a critical condition. Tariq Ahmed Mir, who received a bullet injury, was also shifted to Srinagar.
Reports said CRPF troopers ransacked houses and broke the windows of a masjid in Gagren.
A meeting of the people of Shopian has decided that protests would continue till the culprits are brought to justice.
Residents of Shirmal said CRPF and police men entered the houses and damaged the property besides thrashing scores of inmates.
Undeclared curfew remained in force in Shopian town as troops and policemen deployed in thousands forced the people to remain indoors. After Friday prayers a group of people headed by Imam Jamia Masjid Molvi Hamid took a procession towards Golcha where the protesters urged the government to register a proper FIR against the rape and murder.
The Imam demanded inquiry into the excesses by police and CRPF during the recent peaceful protests in the town and stressed for appointment of a sitting high court judge to probe the murder and rape. He said people would extend cooperation to the inquiry if a sitting judge of high court is appointed for the same.
Pulwama
Life remained crippled for sixth consecutive day in Pulwama district. After Friday prayers youths took out processions near Jamia Masjid and Chatapora Masjid which were stopped by policemen and CRPF, resulting in clashes. At Chatapora hundreds of people came on roads and protested against the high-handedness of CRPF men. They alleged that CRPF men entered the houses and smashed windows besides damaging other items. They said the houses of Noor Muhammad Wani, Abdul Razaq Wani, Shabir Ahmad Chat received major damage.
Imam Jamia Masjid Ghulam Mohiuddin Azim demanded that Bar Association Kashmir be engaged in the inquiry of Shopian incident and troop withdrawal from the entire state be started. At Newa, Hari Parigam, Tral and Pampore thousands of people organised peaceful demonstrations while police used lathi-charge and teargas shells to disperse a procession near fire station in township of Tral this afternoon.
Clashes between CRPF and youths were going on at Dalipora locality of Pulwama town till late evening.

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Protesters free Malik, detained
Srinagar, June 5: Hundreds of people marched to the house of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, at Maisuma here and freed him on Friday. He was later arrested by the police.
After freeing Malik hundreds of youth tried marching towards the city centre, Lal Chowk. However, policemen and paramilitary CRPF troopers deployed there swung into action and fired several tear smoke canisters to disperse the protesters. But they offered stiff resistance and retaliated with stones, triggering clashes.
Later police arrested Malik and other JKLF activists, including Noor Muhammad Kalwal. They were lodged in Kothi Bagh Police Station.
A JKLF spokesman in a statement accused the troopers of beating the pedestrians and smashing window panes of several houses in the locality.
Police also arrested the chairperson of Muslim Khawateen Markaz, Yasmeen Raja, along with her six supporters when they were protesting against the Shopian incident at Lal Chowk here.
Raising pro-freedom slogans, over a dozen women led by Yasmeen appeared near the Clock Tower and staged demonstrations.
As the women tried to march towards Budshah Chowk, a large posse of police intercepted them aand used force to quell them.
'We want the accused in the Shopian incident should be punished and the case should be investigated by the international human rights organisations,” they said.
Witness said the police severely thrashed the protesters and bundled them in a vehicle.
A Hurriyat spokesman accused the police beating abusing and thrashing the women protesters before arresting them.

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Assemble in Eidgah: Asiya
Srinagar, June 5: The chairperson of Dukhtarne-Millat, Asiya Andrabi, has called on the women to make Eidgah rally, scheduled for Sunday, a success.
In a statement here, she said, “I appeal the women to reach Eidgah at 12 pm in large numbers to express solidarity with family of the Shopian victims.”
“The so called security forces in the Valley are the biggest threat to women folk. The Eidgah rally is being held on women’s chastity and its protection,” she added.

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6 Feet Snow on Yatra Track, Officials Fail to Land
Srinagar, June 02- As the helicopter carrying the Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) B B Vyas could not land at Sheshnag, about 19 km short of the cave due to heavy snow, the commencement of this year's pilgrimage, scheduled to start from June 15, is likely to get further delayed.
The two-month-long annual pilgrimage was scheduled to start from June 7, but was postponed due to heavy snowfall on both the traditional Pahalgam and shortest Baltal tracks.
Official sources said Panchtarni, 6 km short of the cave at a height of 3,657 mtrs above sea level had six feet accumulated snow, while Sheshnag had still about eight feet snow.
They said here that Mr Vyas today visited the cave and took stock of the ongoing efforts relating to the clearance of tracks and positioning of various infrastructural and logistical facilities for the 'yatris' there.
The aerial survey conducted by the CEO and other officers of the Board indicates that the areas adjoining the holy cave, Panchtarni and Sheshnag are still under 6 to 8 feet snow. While work is going on war footing to clear the tracks, the CEO of the Board issued instructions to further step up the pace of work to ensure that all required facilities are put in place in a time-bound manner.
The Board officials could not land either at Panchtarni or Sheshnag due to the heavy accumulation of snow near the Camp sites.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer gave instructions to the engineers and senior officers of the Board for expediting all infrastructure-related works to ensure that the required facilities are in place well before the commencement of the Yatra.
He also got first hand information about various works being executed at various places, including the Camps and enroute the Shrine.
The CEO asked the Camp Commandants and other officers to prepare detailed lay-out plans for siting various facilities at the holy cave and at all the other camping sites so that various facilities can be positioned in a systematic manner. The Board team also had an aerial view of the proposed alternate helipad site, adequately away from the Sanctum Sanctorum. This is being done in furtherance of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Boards decision to locate the helipads well away from the Holy Cave.
The spokesperson of the Board also reiterated the Board's advice to the intending 'Yatris' that, keeping in view the snow and weather conditions, they must get themselves registered with the J&K Bank, as no pilgrim will be allowed to proceed on the arduous track who does not possess a Yatra Registration slip. This is being enforced to ensure that the movement of the pilgrims is regulated in a proper manner, to minimize inconvenience and hardship. Agencies

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