Srinagar: A shutdown in protest against the
CBI finding in the Shopian case brought Kashmir valley to a
standstill today and led to violent clashes between groups of
youths and police leaving a dozen persons injured.
Fire broke out in a house at Bohrikadal in the old city
during the clashes and efforts were on to douse the flames.
Locals alleged that the fire was caused by indiscriminate
teargas shelling by police. However, police denied the charge.
The strike was called by a NGO Majlis-e-Mashawarat
against the CBI report yesterday that the two young women in
Shopian allegedly raped and murdered had actually died by
drowning, triggering angry claims of a cover-up. The outfit
alleged that the guilty were being shielded and chargesheet
was being filed against innocents.
Anticipating trouble, authorities placed under house
arrest all top Hurriyat leaders including chairman of moderate
faction Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeen Ahmad
Khan, official sources said.
Shops and markets in Srinagar and other major towns of
the valley remained closed, as the situation in the city and
elsewhere in the valley remained tense. Aditional contingents
of police and paramilitary forces were deployed in sensitive
areas to maintain law and order.
The clashes erupted at nearly a dozen places in Srinagar,
two places in North Kashmir's Baramulla and South Kashmir's
Pulwama town when police stopped hundreds of people
shouting anti-CBI slogans from taking out processions.
Police used batons and teargas to control the crowd.
Giving a clean chit to four police officials in the
case, CBI had also indicted 13 people including six doctors,
five lawyers and two civilians for allegedly fabricating
evidence.
Light rains in most parts of the valley including
Srinagar also forced people to stay indoors.
Chanting anti-CBI slogans, groups of youth took to
the streets at a dozen places in Srinagar including
Bohrikadal, Eidgah, Batmaloo, Natipora, Kawdara, Jamia Masjid,
Maisuma, Qammerwari and Barzalla and pelted stones at security
forces deployed in strength to maintain law and order.
Police used batons and teargas to control the crowd,
the sources said, adding four persons were injured in the
clashes in these places.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir Farooq Ahmed claimed
the situation was under control. "Stray incidents of stone
pelting were reported from some areas but the situation was
well under control".
Official sources said eight persons, including two
policemen, were injured as intense clashes were going on at
Cement Bridge in Baramulla and Hathi Shah in Sopore town, 55
kms from here.
Groups of youth also clashed with police in Pulwama
district town, 32 kms from here.
The sources said hundreds of people shouting slogans
against CBI took out a march in Shopian town, 52 kms from
here.
However, the protestors dispersed peacefully after
visiting the house of the deceased women and assured full
support to the family.
Reacting strongly to the CBI report in the Shopian case,
Chairman of hardline faction of Hurriyat Syed Ali Shah Geelani
said "the probe into the Shopian tragedy was just a drama to
shield the men in uniform".
Chairman of moderate Hurriyat conference Mirwaiz Umer
Farooq, who was placed under house arrest, said "though the
people of Shopian showed faith in CBI, its report was against
their expectations and shielded the guilty."
PDP turns down CBI findings
Reacting to the CBI report filed before the Jammu and
Kashmir High Court yesterday, party chief Mehbooba Mufti said
"For the first time, victims seeking justice have been made
criminals by CBI. The people and the family members of the
victims, lawyers and doctors who were demanding justice have
been booked".
Mehbooba also appealed to President Pratibha Patil,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi
to come to the aid of the people and do justice to the "two
victims of rape and murder".
"It is a human issue and there should have been no
politics. I don't think anywhere in the world, any family will
fake rape and murder of their relatives," she told reporters
here.
She claimed that the people of Kashmir have lost faith
in the state and Central institutions.
"Is it a drowning case?" Mehbooba asked displaying a
photograph of blood-stained 17-year-old Asiya.
"The (CBI) report is shocking and surprising as it has
termed a clear case of rape and murder as one of drowning. Had
it been a drowning case the bodies of the victims should not
have injuries. Where from the blood stains come from?"
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 23:52