45 injured as fresh clashes paralyse Valley

At least 45 persons were injured on Friday as fresh clashes broke out between stone pelting mobs and security personnel in the Valley where curfew was lifted from all places except Kupwara district following a break in the strike by separatists.

The clashes between protestors and security personnel erupted at six places across the Valley, including Shopian in south Kashmir, Sopore and Tangmarg in the north and Soura, Nowhatta and Sabzi Mandi areas of Srinagar resulting in injuries to 45 persons, police said.

The majority of the protestors were injured in Shopian, 55 kms from Srinagar, as they hit the streets early and engaged the security agencies in pitched battles since morning.

Residents of the town came out on the streets on Friday morning and staged demonstrations in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner. They were asked to disperse but they refused to budge and started hurling stones at the security forces, prompting them to use pellet guns after teargas shelling and lathicharge proved futile.

They said clashes between the two sides also took place at Jinab Sahib Soura, Sabzi Mandi and Nowhatta Chowk in old city, resulting in injuries to three persons.

Stone pelting incidents also occurred at the main chowk of Sopore and at Khaipora in Tangmarg in Baramulla district but there was no report of any casualty.

Earlier, authorities on Friday lifted curfew from the Kashmir Valley, barring Kupwara district, following a break in thestrike by separatists.

Educational institutions, banks, shops, and offices opened and all modes of transport were back on the roads in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley, police said.

It said curfew will remain in force in Kupwara, Trehgam, Kralpora, Handwara, Chinkipora and Kulangam as a precautionary measure as authorities apprehended breach of peace in these towns during Friday prayers.

In Srinagar, District Magistrate Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo said curfew has been lifted from all parts of the district.

"Curfew imposed in several areas of the city on August 25 has been lifted. Accordingly, no curfew will remain imposed on August 27 in any part of the district", Kakroo said in an order.

Traffic snarls were seen at many places as people came out to stock supplies particularly in view of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan.

The current spiral of violence began in the Valley on June 11 following the death of a teenager after he was hit by a teargas shell near Rajouri Kadal area of old city. It sparked off street proests in the Valley which have claimed 64 lives so far.