ISLAMABAD: At least one person, identified as Mohammad Ayub, was martyred today and scores injured during clashes between Indian troops and protesters who defied curfew orders and other restrictions in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK).
Two senior government officials confirmed that at least two dozen people were admitted to hospitals with pellet injuries. The heavy clashes broke out in around two dozen places in Srinagar including Soura, Rainawari, Nowhetta and Gojwara areas of the city.
Meanwhile, In occupied Kashmir , the authorities continue to impose strict curfew and other restrictions across the Kashmir valley and at least five districts of Jammu region on the 14th consecutive day.
Many residents in Bemina area of Srinagar complained that the troops raided their houses, assaulted them and damaged properties with stones and iron rods. Thousands of people have been arrested by the Indian forces over the past two weeks.
The curfew was enforced on August 5 when Narendra Modi government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 of its constitution. As a result of strict curfew and all sorts of communication blockade, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding as people are facing severe shortage of essential commodities including baby food and life-saving medicines in the occupied territory. The authorities also continue to impose information blockade as TV channels, internet links and online editions of newspapers remain suspended since August 5. After a brief pause, the authorities snapped again mobile and internet services in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi districts of Jammu region.
Almost all Hurriyat leaders, including Syed Ali Gilani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq continue to remain under house arrest or in jails.
The Executive Editor of Kashmir Times, Anuradha Bhasin speaking during a press interaction in New Delhi said that the situation in occupied Kashmir was comparable to that in the early 90s when the fixed line phones had stopped working and the mobility of journalists had been completely blocked.
Meanwhile, Turkey has urged the United Nations to play a more active role in resolving the Kashmir dispute within the framework of its resolutions. The Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement issued in Ankara, welcomed the consultations held by the UN Security Council on the recent developments in Kashmir.
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