KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Forces clearing an internal road in Batamaloo area. (KL file Image: Bilal Bahadur)
Batamaloo in Srinagar is literally ‘no man’s land’ since last few days, as all roads leading to the area are blocked with logs, stones, electric poles etc.
The afternoon lull is broken only by symphony of around fifty loudspeakers playing pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan and pro-militancy songs. One particular song, played on repeat mode, is a lyrical complaint asking Pakistan not to forget Kashmiris.
Reports reaching here said that youths have occupied the internal roads and have blocked entry into the internal areas of Batamaloo from all the sides.
A local journalist who lives in the area said that police used massive tear and pepper gas to disperse the youths.
However, youths are resisting and are reluctant to leave the roads.
“They were shouting slogans in favour of Aazadi and Pakistan while pro-freedom slogans and mili-naghmay are blaring out of Masjids,” he said.
“Huge logs, electricity poles and heavy stones are placed on the roads. It will take hours to clear the road,” locals said.
“Many people were injured while property worth lakhs of rupees was damaged by the forces,” a local resident accused.
Meanwhile, reports coming from Khawaja Bazaar in Old Srinagar said that intense clashes erupted in the area.
“Youths and forces fought pitched battles in the area before protestors formed a rally and marched towards Gojwara,” a journalist who covered the protests said. “We were asked by police to leave,” the journalists said.
Local sources from Seki Dafar-Nawa Kadal area said that an auto-rickshaw was set afire early this morning.
“This was done by miscreants from a particular party who want to defame the movement,” a local told over the phone.
The locals said that given the “civil curfew” in place in the area, the residents buy days stock of vegetables before 6 am.
“Today, when a local vendor came here with an auto-rikshaw full of vegetables, some miscreants came and turned his auto upside down before setting it on fire.”
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