SIALKOT: About 150 persons were injured, 30 of them seriously, in various parts of the occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir on Aug 9 (the Black Day, observed in connection with Sheikh Abdullah’s dismissal and arrest) when Police resorted to repeated lathi-charge and tear-gassing to disperse processionists who were raising anti-India and anti-Sadiq slogans, according to a weekly of Srinagar.

Giving details of the demonstration the paper said that complete hartal was observed in the Indian-held territory at the call of the Plebiscite Front to condemn the action taken by the Indian Government against Sheikh Abdullah.

Black flags fluttered on the tops of houses and shops owned by Muslims of the Valley. Bazaars wore a deserted look on that day. A one-mile long procession was taken out from Mujahid Manzil in Srinagar led by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and Mirza Afzal Beg.

The processionists were raising slogans … [and] carrying placards bearing their demands which, inter alia, included “Quit Kashmir”, “down with Indian imperialism”, “down with Mrs Indira Gandhi”, “plebiscite and only plebiscite is our demand”, “Indian stooge Murdabad”. …

The next day, Police raided the houses of the workers of the Plebiscite Front and arrested about 100 persons, the paper added. — Agency

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2020