Shiite-Sunni clashes in Kashmir

Arab News

Feb 25, 2010

Srinagar: An indefinite curfew was clamped Thursday evening on 10 villages of north Kashmir Baramulla district with mixed Muslim population after Sunni-Shiite clashes left nearly 20 wounded, three of them critically.

Indian army, police and paramilitary units had to be rushed to the trouble hit areas to quell violence and separate the warring sects who indulged in arson and looting.

Trouble has been brewing on the naming of a market after a Shiite cleric, a move strongly resented by the Sunnis of the area in village Kangamdara, 32 km from Srinagar.

The situation took a violent turn after Shiites erected the signboard in the market place, which provided the ignition point as Sunnis brought down the board in the afternoon leading to fierce sectarian clashes.

The clashes during which members of the two communities used stones, sharp edged weapons resulted in injuries to 20 persons — three of them being critical.

The violent mobs also set fire to over three dozen shops and houses in the villages around Kangamdara.

Indian security forces had a tough time restoring order after their deployment in the villages and had to resort to aerial firing, tear-gas and repeated baton charges.

However, as these measures failed, authorities imposed a round-the-clock curfew in ten villages with mixed population of the two sects this evening.

The fire tenders were also rushed to the areas to douse the blaze, which had engulfed shops and houses.

The Indian security forces were making announcements from loudspeaker fitted vehicles asking people to return to their homes and stay indoors.

“Curfew has been imposed in 10 villages and security forces are patrolling the sensitive areas to maintain calm,” deputy inspector general of police north Kashmir range, A. Q. Manhas told Arab News.

Rival groups clash in Pattan town; curfew clamped

ptinews.com

Srinagar, Feb 25 (PTI) Curfew was clamped in Pattan town of north Kashmir this evening after clashes broke out between two sects of Muslims that left 20 people injured, one of them critically, and damaged nearly 25 shops.

Ghulam Hassan Mir, who was hit on the head during the clashes, was initially declared brought dead at a hospital here but later authorities clarified that he was in a critical condition at the S K Institute of medical sciences, Soura.

The clashes broke out at Baramulla’s Hyderbaig-pattan, 27 kms from here, when people belonging to a particular sect were erecting a board naming the area after Shia spiritual leader Imam Khomeni, which was objected by the other sect, official sources said.

4 injured in Pattan group clashes, curfew imposed

http://www.risingkashmir.com

Ishfaq Ahmad Shah
Srinagar, Feb 25: At least four persons, including a policeman, were injured in clashes between two communities over a hoarding in the Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday.

Reports reaching here said eight shops and three houses had also been set ablaze during the clashes. Police had to fire dozens of tear gas shells to contain the clashes.

The district administration has sought the help of Iarmy to control the situation and curfew has been imposed in the area.

Giving details, Additional District Magistrate Baramulla, Mohammad Ashraf, said trouble started in the afternoon after people from two communities exchanged body-blows over a hoarding erected at a chowk (square) between Kangandora and Hagarpora.

“This issue over erection of a hoarding of a spiritual leader has been a cause of concern for past two months. The two communities had, in fact, reached an amicable solution today but some miscreants created confusion and the atmosphere became tense,” he said.

“The two groups pelted stones at each other. Four people have been injured. The situation is tense right now but under control,” he said.

“Around eight shops and three houses have been set ablaze. To control the situation, we sought help from the army who are conducting flag march in the whole area,” he said, adding the authorities will go for relaxation in curfew once the situation improves.

The Deputy Commissioner and other officials soon reached the spot to take stock of the situation.

Dismissing the rumours of any causality in the clashes, SSP Baramulla, Shakeel Ahmad Beigh told Rising Kashmir, « Besides minor injuries to three civilians and a police operator, there was no major incident in the area. Some shops and houses were partially damaged in the clashes.”

Bashir Ahmad Hajam, a resident of Hagarpora, said people from the Kangandora area wanted the hoarding of a top spiritual leader removed from a chowk. “They don’t want the square to be named after the spiritual leader,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior Hurriyat (M) leader, Molvi Abbas Ansari termed the Pattan incident as unfortunate and said some miscreants are trying to invoke sectarian sentiment among the masses. “I appeal people of Pattan and other parts of Valley to remain calm and desist from violence. Some agencies don’t want peace to prevail among the two communities,” he said.

Ansari also clarified that fire broke out in a local Shia Masjid at Nawa-Kadal due to gas leakage. “It has nothing to do with the Pattan incident,” he said adding, “Sunni brethren helped in dousing the fire”.

~ par Alain Bertho sur 26 février 2010.

Publié dans दंगा, émeutes, riots