Peerzada Waseem, Tassaduq Hussain
Baramulla/Kupwara: A 23-year-old youth from Pattan was critically injured while a girl from Sopore fell unconscious as massive clashes and protests were reported from several parts of the Valley against the rape of a minor girl in Sumbal area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district last week.
Report said that government forces fired teargas shells to disperse a group of youth in Mirgund area of Pattan. A 23-year-old suffered critical injuries in government forces action and was shifted to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment, reports said . They said the group of youth was protesting against the rape of the minor girl at Sumbal.
Reports said a shutdown is being observed in Sopore with shops and business establishments closed while as there was thin movement of traffic.
Students of degree college Sopore and higher secondary also took out a peaceful protest rally at Iqbal market area of apple town.
Protesters while marching towards different areas of Town were demanding stern action against the rape accused. A girl fell unconscious when police resorted to teargas shelling to quell the protesters, reports said.
Reports said scores of people on Monday morning took out a protest rally from Lolab stand through Jamia road upto main Hyhama Chowk. The demonstrators were raising slogans and asking the traders to shutdown their business units against the brutal rape of 3-year-old girl in Sumbal Bandipora.
The protest raising the slogans like, “We want Justice” were demanding capital punishment for the accused. An eyewitness said that whole of the Jamia market was closed. Reports of protests were also received from Anantnag where lawyers held a peaceful sit-in demonstration against the gruesome rape of the 3-year-old.
