Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 25: A shutdown amid curfew like restrictions in parts of Srinagar was observed in Kashmir valley against the arrests of seven Huriyat Conference leaders by National Investigating Agency (NIA) on charges of terror funding while security forces arrested an Over Ground Worker of (OGW) Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant from North Kashmir today.
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The call for shutdown was given by three top leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik to protest NIA action. Authorities, apprehending protests, imposed restrictions in areas falling under five police station areas of Old City including Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal and Fatehkadal. All the roads in these areas were sealed off since morning by hundreds of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men who were deployed to enforce curbs.
The situation in other parts of the Srinagar where there were no restrictions remained peaceful. While majority of shops in Srinagar civil line and uptown were closed, there was no major impact of shutdown on private as well as public traffic. Public transport on various inter-city and inter-district roads was plying.
Reports said that clashes between protesters and security forces broke out at Habba Kadal and Fateh Kadal areas of Srinagar. Police fired teargas and used pepper grenades against the stone-throwing protesters. The situation returned to normal in these areas. Police said that the situation remained peaceful and “business was going on as usual in most of the areas”.
In the district headquarters of Kashmir, majority of the shops were closed in response to strike call but traffic was largely plying. Clashes erupted in Bijbehara area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district between protesters and security forces. However, no one was reported injured.
A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) Over Ground Worker (OGW) was arrested by police in Handwara area of Kupwara district today.
A police official said that the JeM OGW identified as Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohammad Sultan Bhat, resident of Krumhara area of Zachaldar was arrested in a joint operation by Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Army. They recovered one grenade from his possession.
The official said that Manzoor was working as OGW with the JeM outfit and he is being questioned.
A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was arrested by security forces from Sopore area of North Kashmir today and a pistol was recovered from his possession.
A joint team of security forces of 22 Rashtriya Rifles of Army, 179 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Sopore Police today laid a naka at Fruit Mandi crossing and apprehended one Basit Najjar of Sopore and recovered a pistol from his possession. He had recently joined the militancy and was notorious stone pelter of the area.
He told the police that he and his associate Danish Mantoo of Sopore recently joined LeT and were active in the area. Two FIRs were already registered against him in Police Station Sopore in stone pelting.
In the meantime, Pakistan violated ceasefire in Gurez sector by resorting to firing. However, there was no damage.
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