Kulgam civilian killings: Valley parts shut in protest; no Friday prayers at Jamia

Srinagar, Apr 13: A spontaneous shutdown was observed on Friday in seven districts of South and North Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama against the killing of four civilians in Kulgam on Wednesday.
All shops and other commercial establishments remained closed while skeletal movement of traffic was witnessed.
No separatist or militant outfit had called for a strike on Friday.
However, the Joint Hurriyat Leadership-an amalgam of separatist outfits – had urged people to hold peaceful protests after congregational Friday prayers.
Four civilians were killed after government forces opened fire on protesters near the site of a gunfight in Khudwani area of Kulgam on Wednesday.
Restrictions remained in vogue in parts of old Srinagar city while Friday congregational prayers were disallowed at historical Jamia Masjid.
While Geelani and Mirwaiz had been placed under house arrest, Malik has been lodged in the Srinagar Central Jail.
Mobile Internet services continued to remain suspended in south Kashmir areas.
Train services between Baramulla and Banihal towns also remain suspended.
All the Southern districts reeled under restrictions while clashes erupted at many places in Valley.
Government Forces allegedly went on a rampage in Sozeith Narbal area in the outskirts of Srinagar city after a stone-pelting incident, local said.
Locals from Makhdum Mohalla Sozeith Narbal informed news agency CNS that a group of youth pelted stones on Government Forces after the culmination of Friday prayers. “The stone-throwers fled from the scene; however, the Forces targeted civilians and resorted to vandalization.
The Government Forces ransacked houses, damaged vehicles and smashed windowpanes,” they said adding that Forces personnel even hurled stones on the houses.
They claimed that Government Forces even lobbed a tear-smoke shell into a house in which a woman had given birth to a baby boy three days ago.
When contacted, Station House Officer Parimpora Police Station said that everything is normal there. When asked they have video and photographs of ransacking, he replied, it is ok.
Clashes also erupted in Soura locality of Srinagar city where police lobbed tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters who were protesting against the civilian killings.
Clashes erupted in Chanapora area of Srinagar city where youth pelted stones on deployed forces. Reports said that a couple of youth suffered minor injuries in the clashes.
At Khumriyal Lolab and Halmatpora Kupwara protests erupted against the civilian killings. Eyewitnesses added that protesters hurled stones on deployed forces who retaliated with tear-smoke shells.
Mirwaiz South Kashmir Qazi Yasir led a rally in Kulgam district in which thousands of people participated. The protesters raised pro-freedom slogans. The marchers led by Qazi Yasir visited the houses of slain youth.
Hundreds of females from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district staged a massive protest against unabated killings in Kashmir Valley. Reports said that hundreds of women protesters started a protest march from Dalipora Pulwama that culminated peacefully amid pro-freedom slogans at Rajpora Chowk.
A police official said that the situation remained peaceful across Valley.