Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 20: At least 12 people including 3 police men were injured as violence broke out in Srinagar in Central Kashmir and Sopore in North Kashmir after congregational prayers during which mob set ablaze a police vehicle marring the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations today.
A mob set ablaze a police Rukshak vehicle at Eidgah, Srinagar soon after Eid prayers while the police party traveling in it had a close shave with death in the mob attack.
A police spokesman said here that the Police party of Police Post Qamarwari headed by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Ghulam Hassan (No. 1349/S) while on way to SKIMS, Soura to collect dead body of vehicular accident victim were stopped and beaten by a mob at Eidgah, Srinagar.
The vehicle bearing registration number JK01N- 2184 in which party was travelling was set afire as mob put fire wood inside the vehicle before setting it afire.
All the three police men were injured in the mob beating. They managed to escape from the spot and were shifted to SKIMS, Soura hospital for treatment. The injured policemen have been identified as ASI Ghulam Hassan, Head Constable Bashir Ahmad and Constable Gulzar Ahmad
Station House Officer of the Police Post Qamarwari, Mohammad Shaban, has been asked to explain why did he send the police party to SKIMS for collection of the body when mob was on the streets.
Additional police and paramilitary personnel were rushed to the spot immediately after the mob attack to restore law and order in the area. Police fired several rounds of tear smoke shells and also fired in air to disperse the mob.
The mob pelted stones on the police and CRPF but police managed to chase them away. The fire tenders were rushed to the spot to extinguish the fire. Several protesters were injured in the police action.
Violence also broke out in apple town of Sopore in North Kashmir after the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers as a mob pelted stones on 179-battalion of Central Reserve Police stationed at State Bank of India (SBI) building and on Police Station Sopore. Police restored to baton charging and fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters. However, no injures were reported.
Although there was no reason for the sudden outbreak of violence in Srinagar and Sopore, the separatists maintained it was a reaction to State Government’s decision to impose restrictions on Hurriyat Conference chairmen, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and other leaders, which prevented them from offering Eid prayers.
The Government had put Mirwaiz, Geelani and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and other separatist leaders under house arrest as a preventive measure to maintain law and order. The authorities were fearing violence and put them under house arrest as a precautionary measure.
Mirwaiz, however, addressed the Eid gathering at Eidgah over phone. In his telephonic address he said: “If the Government wants peace in Kashmir, it needs to resolve the issues by addressing them. Leaving politics aside, imposing curbs on people and preventing them from discharging their religious duties is interference in our religious matters.”
Barring Eidgah area of Srinagar and parts of Sopore, Eid-ul-Fitr across Kashmir was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety with thousands of people offering Eid prayers at prayer grounds and Masjids.
Since morning people including women and children were making beeline to the prayer grounds and Masjids to offer prayers. Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated to thank God for the successful culmination of the fasting month of Ramadhan, which ended on Sunday after the crescent was not sighted on Saturday evening. The Islamic calendar has either 29 or 30 days of a month depending on the sighting of the moon.
The biggest gathering of the devotees on the occasion of Eid was witnessed at Eidgah in the Old City and Tourist Reception Centre ground near Lal Chowk. This was followed by the Hazratbal Shrine where thousands of people offered Eid prayers.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah and Advisor to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul offered prayers at the Hazratbal Shrine.
The Chief Minister exchanged Eid greetings with the people and felicitated them. He expressed the hope that the Holy day will be harbinger for peace and prosperity and well being of the State.
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the Chief Minister received hundreds of people at his residence here who visited there to personally convey Eid greeting to the Chief Minister. The visitors included Ministers, legislators, officers, social, political leaders and general public.
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