Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 18: As the crackdown against the stone pelters and trouble makers continued, police today arrested 122 persons from across Kashmir even as strike paralysed the life in Kashmir for 102nd day today.
Hundreds of security force personnel were deployed in five police station areas of Srinagar’s Old City – MR Gunj, Nowhatta, Safa Kada, Rainawari and Khanyar – since early morning to prevent violence in these sensitive areas. There was, however, civilian movement without any disruption in all these areas. The areas like Habba Kadal and Maisuma were also under thick security blanket.
In Civil Lines and uptown areas of Srinagar, extra-ordinary movement of private transport and pedestrians was once again seen since early morning but all shops, commercial establishments and educational institutes were closed. The vendors, however, had set up their stalls at Batamaloo, Lal Chowk, Dalgate, Sonwar, Jehangir Chowk, Exhibition Crossing and Jawahar Nagar. The security forces were deployed at sensitive areas in strength to prevent any voilence.
In the evening, markets across Srinagar opened and Lal Chowk witnessed huge rush of people and there were traffic jam in many Civil Line areas of the city.
Clashes erupted at Rohmoo village of Pulwama after protests erupted against security forces. Police fired teargas to disperse the protesters. One protester was injured in the clashes. The violent clashes also erupted at Chadoora area of Budgam district.
Police and CRPF today launched a massive crackdown in Parimpora area of Srinagar where two Taxis were torched yesterday morning. Scores of youth were arrested in pre-dawn raid in the locality. Police also fired tear smoke to disperse the protesters in the area.
According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the Valley today. “Shops and other business establishments were open while transport also plied on all routes in the Valley,” it said.
Meanwhile, the statement said that continuing its action against the persons involved in disrupting the public order in different parts of the Valley, police arrested 122 such individuals during past 24 hours.