Srinagar: Hundreds of students on Monday took out a pro-freedom march in Palhallan in Baramulla district, however, the ‘peaceful’ march turned violent “when forces intercepted it”.
A student, who recently graduated from a varsity in social sciences and lives in Palhallan spoke to FreePressKashmir detailing the prevailing situation in the area.
“Violent clashes are going on as students and armed forces are engaged in a battle,” he said without revealing his name for obvious reasons.
Kashmir Valley is witnessing pro-freedom protest demonstrations by school uniform wearing students and armed forces since April when Indian army men forced their entry into a government run under-graduate college in Pulwama district. Many students were injured when they resisted the stay of army men in the college.
“As soon as students reached a government run Higher Secondary school here this morning, they stayed for a while, and then took out a rally amid strong pro-freedom sloganeering,” the student, who is now preparing for civil services, said.
The protesting students even did not attend the morning assembly.
“However, as soon as the students reached branch of J&K Bank near main Chowk Palhallan, hundreds of armed forces personnel from J&K Police and para-military CRPF blocked the march thus resulting in clashes as students started stone pelting while forces fired tear gas shells,” he added.
The class work in the government Higher Secondary school, situated in Naik Mohalla, was badly affected as students came out on roads. Currently, students from class 8th are enrolled in it.
“The students tried to march towards busy Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway but forces did not allow traffic to get blocked,” a shopkeeper, who refused to give his original name, said.
Another local who works as a farmer, said, “as the clashes started, announcements were made in local Masjids asking people to come out on road to block convoy of forces vehicles – around 13 ‘Rakshaks’ and one ton armoured vehicles, four in number – from entering Palhallan housing at least 40000 souls.”
“The shops situated in and around Higher Secondary School have been shut but there is no disturbance in business in main Chowk,” he added.
As the last reports poured in, clashes – stone pelting and tear gas shelling – was going on in the area.
