WEB DESK /
Curfew has been re-imposed after violent clashes erupted in Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district in Jammu & Kashmir today. Earlier, the three hour relaxation in curfew was announced from 8 in the morning.
Witnesses said locals took to roads in Handwara town as soon as curfew was relaxed in the morning and staged massive protests. Security forces used teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Curfew remains imposed in the area for the past five days since last Wednesday.
The situation deteriorated following the killing of three civilians, including a woman, in alleged army firing on locals protesting against an alleged molestation bid by a soldier in Handwara town last Tuesday .
Two more people including a teenager were killed in subsequent protests after army allegedly opened fire and police burst tear smoke shells on protesters.
The normalcy returned to Srinagar and other areas yesterday after five day’s disruption in normal life following Tuesday’s incident.
Mobile Internet services were restored early this morning after remaining suspended for four days. Shops, business establishments, private institutions, educational institutions resumed their activities in Srinagar and other areas.
Train services were resumed between Banihal in Jammu and Baramulla in Kashmir yesterday after remaining suspended for four consecutive days.
The girl, who is at the centre of the Handwara molestation storm, was produced along with her father before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Handwara on Saturday.
While challenging the detention of her daughter in J&K High Court, the mother of Handwara girl has alleged that Police forced her 16 year old daughter to make video statement thereby defaming her publicly in contravention of laws. The matter has been listed for next hearing on Wednesday.
photo:Police use force to disperse crowd protesting against the Handwara civilian killings. Mubashir Khan/GK –