Over 200 injured in clashes as MPs' team visits Kashmir

More than 200 people were injured in clashes between stone pelters and security forces in Kashmir today, on a day an all-party parliamentary delegation was here to assess the ground situation in the valley where normal life remained paralysed for 58th consecutive day.
There was no curfew in the valley except some areas of Srinagar falling under the Police Stations of Khanyar, Safakadal, Nowhatta, Rainawari and M R Gunj, a police spokesman said.
10 incidents of stone pelting were reported from Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Awantipora and Sopore, he said.
In Shopian district of south Kashmir, clashes broke out in the morning and continued for most part of the day with protestors setting ablaze the mini-secretariat building which houses the Deputy Commissioner's office, a police official said.

"In Shopian, a mob attacked and set ablaze mini secretariat Shopian. The fire was brought under control. However, the structure suffered partial damage," he said.
The clashes erupted after police stopped people in Penjoora village of the district from taking out a rally, the official said, adding over 100 people were injured.

He said the security forces used baton charge and tear- gas shelling to disperse the protestors.
Clashes were also reported from Tral area of Pulwama district where more than 60 people were hurt in action by security forces against the stone pelters.
"In Tral, a huge mob pelted stones on the police and security forces. Some of the miscreants, when chased, entered a Ziyarat (shrine) and again started pelting stones from the compound of the Ziyarat," the spokesman said, adding police "cautiously" handled the situation.

Protestors also attacked the house of ruling PDP MLA from Tral constituency Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, breaking the window panes of the building.
"There were clashes between protestors and security forces in Tral and amidst those clashes, some miscreants attacked the house of Tral legislator Mushtaq Ahmad Shah with stones," a police official said.
He said the protestors broke the window panes of the house, but no one was injured. The forces deployed in the area fired several tear-gas canisters and managed to disperse the protestors from the spot, the official said.
Giving details of the violence, the police spokesman said "mobs assembled on the roads and attempted to disturb the normal traffic and movement of people by pelting stones on vehicles and later on at police & security force deployments."

Yesterday, protestors in the neighbouring Kulgam district burnt a house of the ruling PDP's block president Gulzar Ahmad who had facilitated a meeting of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with the family of a victim of security forces firing in the district.
Mehbooba visited the family of Late Mashooq Ahmed, firing victim of Kund, Kulgam and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family yesterday.
Normal life in the Valley remained paralysed for the 58th day as restrictions continued in the rest of the Valley which has been hit by violence triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

"Curfew remains in force in five police station areas of downtown Srinagar," a police spokesman said.
He said curfew in these areas of the summer capital continued as a precautionary measure in view of the call given by separatists asking people to occupy Airport road, city centre Lal Chowk and district headquarters against the all-party delgation's visit.
"Curfew has been lifted from Batamaloo and Maisuma areas in the uptown city in view of the improving situation," the police spokesman said.
He, however, said restrictions on the assembly of people were in place in the rest of the Valley.
The separatists have also extended the shutdown till September 8.

Due to the restrictions and separatist-sponsored shutdown, shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during the day. They are opened only in the evening. Public transport continued to be off the roads.
The all-party delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached here today to hold talks with a cross-section of people and explore ways to end the unrest.
As many as 71 persons, including two police personnel, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in the Valley since Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8.