Shakeel Bakshi, Qazi Yasir, S.M. Afzal & others INJURED

Bijbehara, Oct 21: Several persons including ISL chairman Shakeel Bakshi, Umat-I-Islami president Qazi Yasir and JKLF Senior Vice Chairman S.M. Afzal have been injured in the clashes that broke out here late evening after police objected to the screening of a documentary on Kashmir on the 16th anniversary of 1993 Bijbehara massacre that had left 40 people dead.

Eyewitnesses said thousands of people gathered in-front of martyr’s graveyard Bijbehara after evening (Magrib) prayers to watch the documentary. “The Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel reached the venue and ransacked all the equipments including the projector. They also resorted to heavy baton charge on the crowd that had been watching the documentary. Several persons sustained injuries in the police action,” they said.

ISL chairman Shakeel Bakshi, Umat-I-Islami president Qazi Yasir and JKLF (Amanullah) vice chairman S.M. Afzal were among the injured.

The locals of the area also alleged that the troopers went berserk and smashed the window panes of several houses and beat up many pedestrians.

Earlier, in the morning police according to the residents removed all the banners and posters of the Tehreek-I-Hurriyat (Teh) and JKLF. (www.risingkashmir.com)