Indian forces demolish shops, houses in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 19, 2020 (PPI-OT): In another brutal act, the Indian security forces have demolished dozens of shops and residential houses in Pampore town of Pulwama district in the occupied valley of Kashmir. The massive demolition drive was carried out in Tulbagh area of Pampore on Khrew-Pampore road in which over a dozen shops, a newly constructed shopping complex and several houses were razed to the ground. Another demolition drive was also carried out in Khrew Chowk, Drangbal area of Pampore, leaving around a dozen structures demolished.

The residents heavily protested the illegal demolition of shops and houses. Eyewitnesses said police personnel fired several rounds in air to disperse the demonstrators. In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops are continuing with their violent cordon-and-search operations also in different areas. Huge contingents of troops sealed all entry and exit points in Muran and Ashmandar areas of Pulwama district and conducted door-to-door search operations.

Besides vandalism, they harassed and terrorized the residents. Scores of women and children along with hundreds of locals were forced to spend night in the open during 18-hour-long cordon-and-search operation launched by Indian forces in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district. “The inmates were taken out and asked to assemble at Lal Chowk. They spent entire night under open sky,” eyewitnesses said.

Political analysts who keep a close eye on developments in the occupied valley are of the opinion that India under a well-planned conspiracy is ruining education, tourism industry, agriculture, fruit, trade, transport and handicrafts of the Kashmiri people through frequently conducted cordon-and-search operations, particularly in all Muslim-dominated areas of Kashmir valley and Jammu, including Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipore, Ganderbal, Badgam, Islamabad, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch districts.

The Kashmiri leadership has termed the 287-day curfew in the occupied valley the ‘death of humanity’, calling the Indian government and security forces ‘enemies of democracy’. It said Indian barbarism against the people of Kashmir is the biggest terrorism on the planet Earth in the 21st century, and demanded that United Nations declare India a ‘terrorist state’.

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