80 more injured as SASB land protests continue

Srinagar/Jammu, Jun 28 (UNI) About 80 people were injured in police firing and lathicharge as massive protests continued for the sixth day today in the Kashmir valley against the transfer of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) despite the state government ] saying that the hue and cry over the issue was not based on facts.

Four people have been killed and 380 others, including 40 security personnel, have been injured in the ongoing agitation that began on June 23, in which a large number of people have taken to the streets in the valley for the first time since 1990.

Some senior separatist leaders and others were injured in Srinagar when police fired in the air and resorted to lathicharge to disperse thousands of demonstrators.

Official sources said police opened fire and injured two people when demonstrators attacked two police stations at Alamgari Bazar and Zadibal in the down town city.

Reports of clashes injuring 20 people were also received from other parts of the valley.

Sources said about 30 people, including separatist leaders, were injured in the police action when demonstrators were proceeding towards the Moulana Azad road. Those injured included Abdul Ahad Parra, Firdous Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Dar and Yar Mohammad Khan of Hurriyat Conference. Senior Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Noor Mohammad Kalwal was also injured.

Twenty people were injured in police firing in Rawalpora and Jehangir Chowk.

On the other hand, the Jammu and Kashmir government clarified that the noise being made over the issue of land transfer was not based on facts.

Notwithstanding noises being made about the government order diverting 39.88 hectare of land under compartment No 63a/Sindh in Sindh Forest Division to SASB, an official spokesman said according to the Government Order number 184-FST of 2008 dated May 26, the diversion of the land was for ''raising pre-fabricated structures only for camping purposes of pilgrims without going in for construction of permanent structures at Baltal and Domail by the SASB.

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