Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, May 21:Amid a shutdown in Kashmir, authorities today imposed strict restrictions here in Old City and foiled the proposed Eidgah march and rally of separatist leaders to commemorate the death anniversaries of two separatist leaders.
The separatist leaders including moderate Hurriyat chairman and patron of Awami Action Committee, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had called for a march to Eidgah in downtown city here to commemorate the death anniversaries of his father, Mirwaiz Maulvi Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone who were killed by unidentified gunmen on May 21, 1990 and May 21, 2002 respectively.
To foil the Eidgah rally, the authorities imposed strict restrictions in areas falling under MR Gunj, Safa Kadal, Nowhatta, Khanyar and Rainawari police stations. Hundreds of security forces personnel were deployed in length and breadth of downtown areas and all roads leading to Eidgah were sealed off with barbed wires. Witnesses said the security forces imposed restrictions strictly in order to maintain order.
Although the day passed off peacefully but stone-throwing clashes broke out at Rajouri Kadal, Nowhatta and Nawa Kadal areas of Old City in the evening when security forces lifted the restrictions. Police lobbed teargas shells and pellets towards stone-throwers. One boy identified as Aayan Hamid of Rajouri Kadal sustained pellet injuries in his eye and he was removed to hospital for treatment.
The separatist leaders were either detained in their houses or in police lock-ups to prevent them from leading protest rallies. A spokesman of moderate Hurriyat said that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Advocate Shahidul Islam and others were detained by police in their houses.
In the wake of shutdown call, normal life across the Valley came to halt with most of the shops, commercial establishments and fuel stations closed. The educational institutes, Government offices and banks were closed on the account of Sunday holiday. The public transport was also partially affected but private vehicles plied normally. In Yousmarg tourist destination of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, youths pelted on local Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp, resulting in chaos and panic.
Meanwhile, 13 youth have been picked up by police in Pulwama district of South during night raids on the charges of stone-pelting. The youth have been picked up from Prichoo, Barpor, Wagum and Malikpora. Police said that the detained youths are ‘chronic stone-pelters’. However, the families of these denied police charges and sought their release.
Meanwhile, Hizbul Mujahideen today said police constable Syed Naveed Mushtaq who fled yesterday with four rifles joined the militant outfit. The outfit’s operational spokesman Burhan-ud-Din said the deserter cop was welcomed into the Hizb fold along with four rifles. Constable Naveed of Nazneenpora village of Shopian district was posted at the guard room of Food Corporation of India (FCI) in Chandpora village of Budgam district.
Yesterday with the assistance of his two friends, he fled with four SLR rifles. In the meanwhile, Special Operation Group (SOG) of police in Shopian today detained father, uncle, cousin, friend and a neighbor of the deserter cop for questioning. Sources said all the detained persons were questioned by SOG about the whereabouts of the Naveed. Sources further said that the deserter cop was linked with militancy in the past and has been even detained by SOG. His two relatives were also linked with militancy and one of them is still an active militant while another was gunned down by security forces.
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