Two injured in fresh Kashmir clashes, CM Mehbooba Mufti visits Handwara victims’ kin

Srinagar: In yet another incident of violent clashes between the stone-pelting mobs and security forces that rocked Kashmir on Saturday, two youth were injured even as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sought to control the situation by visiting the area and assuring justice to families of those killed since Tuesday in firing by security forces.

Yawar Rashid and Gowhar Majid sustained injuries when security forces fired pellet guns to disperse stone-pelting protestors in Trehgam area of Kupwara district, a police official said.

He further said that both the injured were shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment.

Protestors resorted to stone-pelting on security forces at Nathnusa soon after police stopped and turned back MLA Langate Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who wanted to visit Drugmulla, the official said.

Protests were also reported from Barsoo area of Ganderbal district where a group of youth blocked the road and resorted to stone-pelting, he said adding, the protestors were chased away.

In Naidkhai in Bandipora, protestors set ablaze an abandoned barrack of police, he said. The tin-shed barrack had been abandoned following the recent floods.

While most of Srinagar city remained peaceful, a minor incident of stone-pelting was reported from Natipora area, the official said.

Earlier, according to media reports, Mehbooba met the victims’ families to offer her condolences and interacted with locals over the matter. Speaking on the occasion, Mehbooba Mufti made it clear that no civilian should come in the harms’ way while dealing with law-and-order situations.

In the wake of the tense situation in Handwara, the Central government has decided to send additional Central Armed Police Forces to strengthen the security grid in the Kashmir valley.

MHA has assured full cooperation and support to the Government of J&K to ensure that there is no further loss of lives. The government said that it is concerned over the loss of human lives in the valley during the last four days.

The family of the minor girl, whose video was released by the Army to television channels on Wednesday denying molestation by a trooper, meanwhile today filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, saying that the release of the video was against the law.

Parvej Indroj, a high court advocate, said that the release of the video is against the law, and claimed that police deliberately forced the girl to give the statement. He said that girl should have given her statement in front of her guardians. According to the reports both the army and the police are involved in this case.

"The high court has ordered to take legal actions against the matter and new statement of the girl should be recorded in front of chief justice of state," ANI quoted Indroj as saying.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 20.

Kashmir has been witnessing violent protests since Tuesday following alleged molestation of the girl in Handwara town of Kupwara district. Five civilians have died in the clashes so far and nearly 50 people, including over 40 security personnel, have been injured.  

(With Agency inputs)