Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 9: After widespread protests across Kashmir valley for past one month in which over 300 people including over 100 police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men were injured, a Core Group meeting of various security agencies this evening discussed overall security situation of the Valley and devised a road map for restoring peace in the Kashmir valley ahead of tourist reason.
The meeting that was held at Badami Bagh Cantonment, the headquarters of Chinar Corps, was co-chaired by General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt Gen Om Prakash and Director General of Police, Ashok Prasad. It was attended by senior officers of Army, Police, CRPF, BSF, Intelligence Agencies and Civil Administration.
Sources said that meeting chalked out a strategy to deal with the law and order situation in Kashmir and restore normalcy in Valley ahead of tourist season. “The meeting discussed the efforts required by various security agencies for restoring peace and normalcy during the summer this year”, sources added.
A Defence spokesman said that the GOC complimented the officials for the high level of synergy and bonhomie exhibited by security agencies and administration in addressing the security concerns of the Valley.
The DGP while addressing the meeting said that elaborated security initiatives have been put in place to manage the law and order situation in the Valley, sources said.
Police also launched major crackdown against the members of recently formed Majlis Mushawarat of separatists that spearheads the agitation in Kashmir valley for past few weeks and calls for strikes and protests.
Jamaat-e-Islami spokesman Advocate Zahid Ali was apprehended by police at his residence last night from Pulwama. Police have also detained Dukhtaran-e Millat’s Fehmeeda Sofi and other separatist leaders Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Gh Nabi Zaki and G M Nagoo. Police also raided residences of JKLF acting Chairman Bashir Ahmad Butt and separatist leader Abdul Ahad Parra.
Chairmen of both factions of the Hurriyat Conference – Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq – continued to remain under house arrest.
In the meantime, normal life resumed today in Srinagar city and other parts of central Kashmir after 5 days of shut down and curfew while protests and clashes broke out in North Kashmir and parts of South Kashmir against the arrest of scores of youth during past few days.
Shops, offices, business establishments and banks opened in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal today after five days as authorities lifted curfew. The Public transport also plied normally in these areas.
Curfew and strikes paralysed life in Kashmir valley since Monday and over 200 people including large number of police and CRPF men were injured in clashes since Monday.
Srinagar’s roads that remained deserted during this week due to curfew and strikes saw traffic jams as large number of people came out of their homes after 5 days. People were seen buying essentials as they are apprehensive about possibility of more strikes and curfews.
However, in the evening protests broke out at Maisuma, Saraf Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Nowhatta, Gojwara and Naseem Bagh. Protesters pelted stones at Police and CRPF leading to clashes during which police used tear smoke shells, pepper gas and charged batons on the protesters to disperse them.
A police spokesman said that one Mohammad Latief Shah, 35, son of Ghulam Qadir resident of Guzarbal, Noorbagh, Srinagar, was hit by a stone at Kawadara, while he was sitting on his shop. He was removed to hospital for treatment.
The spokesman said that 36 Police and CRPF men including a SP, a DSP and an Assistant Commandant of CRPF, were injured in different stone pelting incidents in Srinagar, in last one month.
“Besides, one Inspector, four Sub Inspectors, three Assistant Sub Inspectors, two Head Constables, twenty two constables of Police and CRPF an SPO were injured at different places while tackling law and order situation in Srinagar”, the spokesman added.
As the shops and markets started opening this morning in North Kashmir’s Baramulla town after 5 days with the lifting of curfew, police raided Sumo and Bus Stand and arrested several youth. This was followed by spontaneous shut and protests in the township against the arrest of youth on charges of stone pelting.
Protesters pelted stones at police and CRPF at Old town, Chatti Padshahi, Cement Bridge, SRTC Bridge and Khanpora in district Baramulla. Police in return fired tear smoke shells and pellets during which over 25 persons were injured.
Some of the critically injured who are being treated in the hospital are Nisar Ahmad, Asif Ahmad, Javed Ahmad and Tariq Ahmad. Majority of the injured persons have received pellets.
The authorities imposed curfew like restrictions in Baramulla town to defuse the situation but despite that ding dong battles continued between protesters and security forces throughout the day.
In Sopore town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district as the markets started opening this morning and traffic plied after 5 days of curfew and strikes, youth appeared at Seelu, Seer, Amar Garh, Chankhan, Sangrama and Ranji and pelted stones on passing vehicles.
Police and CRPF rushed to these areas to tackle the situation and they fired tear smoke and charged batons on them resulting in clashes. A pregnant woman, Zareefa and two children were injured in clashes. SHO Tarzoo Police Station Manzoor Ahmad is among 5 policemen and 3 CRPF men injured in Sopore. Curfews like restrictions were imposed in the township after the clashes.
Protesters also clashed with police and CRPF at Hygam, Pattan and Palhalan in district Baramulla blocking traffic on Srinagar-Baramulla National highway. The protesters were protesting against arrest of youth by police on charges of stone pelting at various places in the district.
A police spokesman said here that one Khurshid Ahmad Khan, 40, son of Mohammad Afzal of Fateh Kadal, Srinagar was brought to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar with stone injury in his head. “He has received stone injury in his head at Hygam, Sopore when miscreants pelted stones on the bus he was travelling in”, the spokesman added.
Authorities had to impose curfew like restrictions in Mazhama and Kunzar areas on Srinagar Gulmarg road in district Baramulla after protesters clashed with police and CRPF this morning. Protesters were protesting against the arrest of youth in the area on charges of stone pelting. Police and CRPF fired tear smoke and charged batons on the protesters.
In North Kashmir’s Bandipora district where over 50 people including around 30 security men were injured yesterday shut down was observed against the arrest of around a dozen youth on charges of stone pelting. There were reports of protests from several places in the district against these arrests.
Protests were also reported Gugloosa, Tregam, Lalpora, Kathar, Handwara, Langate, Kral Gund, Watergam areas of Kupwara district over recent arrests of youth by police in protests. At several places protesters pelted stones on police and CRPF leading to ding dong battles during which security men used tear smoke and charged batons on the protesters.
In South Kashmir’s Pulwama district normal life remained disrupted even after lifting of curfew over the arrest of youth by police. Police in nocturnal raids arrested several youth on charges of stone pelting in Kakapora, Naiman, Oakhu and Pahu areas of the district. Protesters pelted stones on police and CRPF and curfew like situation prevailed in Pulwama and adjacent villages.
In Kulgam district in of South Kashmir shutdown was reported against the arrest of youth while Shopian and Anantnag districts remained relatively peaceful today.
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