Complete shutdown observed in occupied Kashmir

Srinagar, July 23 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, complete shutdown was observed, today, against the gang rape of a woman by Indian troops on Tuesday and Wednesday in Kulgam.

Call for the shutdown had been given by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani and it was also aimed at protesting against the arrest of the Executive Director of Kashmiri American Council, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai in the US. Shops, business establishments, banks, schools and courts remained closed while traffic was off the road.

The occupation authorities continued to place the All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other Hurriyet leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah and Zafar Akbar Butt under house arrest to prevent them from visiting Kulgam.

People took to the streets and staged protest demonstrations in Srinagar and Kulgam. Indian police resorted to baton charge and teargas shelling to disperse the demonstrators.

Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar deplored that Indian troops were using rape as a war weapon in the occupied territory to suppress the Kashmiris’ liberation struggle. The APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in his statement strongly condemning the Kulgam incident termed it as inhuman. Hurriyet leaders including Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Yasmeen Raja, Zafar Akbar Butt, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Zamrooda Habib, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash and Muhammad Farooq Rehmani in their statements also denounced the Kulgam incident.

On the other hand, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred three Kashmiri youth at Bagh-e-Hakhar in Handwara during a siege and search operation, today.