Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 28: Indefinite curfew was imposed in parts of Srinagar this evening following sectarian clashes and clashes between protesters and police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in old city Srinagar.
An official spokesman said here this evening: “The District Magistrate Srinagar has imposed curfew in nine police station areas of the city.”
The spokesman further said that curfew has been imposed in Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Safakadal, Khanyar, Rainawari, Nigeen, Lal Bazaar, Zadibal and Parimpora police station areas of Srinagar city.
The Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled for tomorrow following curfew in the city. An official spokesman said here: “According to the Controller of Examinations Kashmir University, all the KU examinations scheduled to be held tomorrow on November 29 (Thursday) have been postponed. Fresh dates will be notified separately.”
The spokesman said that curfew was imposed after sectarian clashes broke out near Hawal area in the old city, adding that there are no initial reports of anyone getting injured in the clashes.
Reports said that a group of protesters belonging to a particular sect blocked the road in Hawal area of Srinagar this morning against a sacrilegious inscription on a pair of shoes that was found in a Shoe store in Magam area of Budgam district.
Residents of the area said that Police, however, didn’t interfere and by afternoon more protesters joined them. The protesters later pelted stones on shops and tried to set afire a nearby Shoe store in Hawal.
The locals of the other sect immediately came out and pelted stones on the protesters who were pelting stones on shops. “This led to the clashes and police intervention”, residents added.
Police fired tear-smoke and used pepper guns to stop sectarian clashes. However, it later turned a clash between police and stone throwing protesters in Hawal and Gojwara areas of the city.
Hawal, Gojwara and adjoining areas of Srinagar city have become flash points for sectarian violence over the past couple of years during Muharram processions.
The police spokesman further said that Police have taken cognisance of the skirmishes between two communities in Zadibal area of the city. “The civil and police administration are monitoring the situation. There are no reports of anybody getting injured. However, sporadic incidents of stone pelting have been reported,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a major crackdown against suspected stone pelters in Srinagar, police arrested 42 youth from various parts of Srinagar during nocturnal raids.
Police last night had to face mid night protests and stone pelting after they raided several houses in Nowhatta area of Srinagar to arrest suspected stone pelters. Seven suspects were arrested in Nowhatta area and residents protested against these nocturnal raids.
Two days ago police arrested a 16-year-old stone-pelter, Danish Farooq Wani, who was wanted in several incidents of stone pelting in the city including a petrol bomb attack. A resident of Chattabal locality of Srinagar, police described him as a notorious stone-pelter.
Thirty four suspected stone have been arrested by police during nocturnal raids across the old city areas of Srinagar. Police said they have photographic evidence of the involvement of these youth in stone pelting.
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