'At least 4,000 detained in Occupied Kashmir since autonomy stripped'

People arrested and held under the PSA, a law that allows authorities to imprison someone for up to two years

SRINAGAR: Thousands of people have been detained in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) over fears of unrest since New Delhi stripped the disputed region of its autonomy two weeks ago, government sources said.

A magistrate speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity said at least 4,000 people were arrested and held under the Public Safety Act (PSA), a controversial law that allows authorities to imprison someone for up to two years without charge or trial.

"Most of them were flown out of [Occupied] Kashmir because prisons here have run out of capacity," the magistrate said, adding that he had used a satellite phone allocated to him to collate the figures from colleagues across the Himalayan territory amid a communications blackout imposed by authorities.

#UPDATE Up to 4,000 people were arrested and held under the Public Safety Act, a controversial law that allows authorities to imprison someone for up to two years without charge or trial, according to government sources pic.twitter.com/wwWnkOU2z5

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 18, 2019

Movement restrictions reimposed

Indian authorities reimposed restrictions on movement in major parts of Srinagar on Sunday after violent overnight clashes between residents and police in which dozens were injured, two senior officials and eyewitnesses said.

In the past 24 hours, there has been a series of protests against New Delhi’s August 5 revocation of the region’s autonomy. This followed an easing in curbs on movement on Saturday morning.

The state government has said that it has not imposed a curfew over the past two weeks, but on Sunday people were being turned back at multiple roadblocks set up in the city in the past few hours.

Security forces at some roadblocks have told residents there is a curfew. Two senior government officials told Reuters that at least two dozen people were admitted to hospitals with pellet injuries after violent clashes broke out in the old city on Saturday night.

Chilli grenades

The heavy overnight clashes took place mostly in Rainawari, Nowhetta and Gojwara areas of the old city where Indian troops fired tear smoke, chilli grenades and pellets to disperse protesters, eyewitnesses and officials said.

Chilli grenades contain very spicy chilli pepper and produce a major eye and skin irritant, as well as a pungent smell when they are unleashed.



The officials, who declined to be identified because they aren’t supposed to talk to the media, said clashes also took place in other parts of the city including Soura, a hotbed of protests in the past two weeks.

A senior government official and hospital authorities at Srinagar’s main hospital said that at least 17 people came there with pellet injuries. They said 12 were discharged while five with grievous injuries were admitted.