Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 20: Police today foiled a proposed rally of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the eve of his father’s 27th death anniversary in downtown area of summer capital here.
Since early morning, hundreds of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in parts of downtown falling under three police station areas – Maharaj Gunj, Safakadal and Nowhatta – to thwart the scheduled rally from Jama Masjid in Nowhatta area.
The security forces enforced the restrictions throughout the day. Police said the day passed off peacefully and there was no attempt by workers of Awami Action Committee (AAC) – the party headed by Mirwaiz Umar – to take out a rally. Due to restrictions in pockets of downtown, there were traffic chaos in other Old City parts due to which people faced lots of difficulties.
Police said the restrictions shall continue tomorrow in five police station areas of Old City here as separatists have called for a shutdown and march to Eidgah to commemorate death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Maulana Farooq Ahmad, Abdul Gani Lone and victims of Hawal firing. Mirwaiz and Lone were killed by unidentified gunmen on May 21, 1990 and May 21, 2002 respectively.
In the meanwhile, the police today said it arrested two ‘chronic stone’ pelters involved in disrupting the situation in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
A police spokesman said on the basis of available evidences, police arrested a ‘chronic’ stone-pelter identified as Tahir Nasrullah. “He had recently taken admission in the Government Degree College Magam. Taking advantage of being new in the area, he started indulging in creating trouble,” he said.
He was identified on the basis of physical features like kind of clothes he wears, his height and color of school bag he carries etc. while investigating videography of various unlawful incidents, the spokesman said.
“The police team apprehended him outside the college when he was changing his clothes from uniform to civil. The purpose of this was to send an impression that outside students are creating trouble. Police recovered a mask, college uniform and a mobile phone from his bag,” he said.
The spokesman said his arrest led to the arrest of another stone-pelter identified as Samir Bhat. “Police recovered a green and white flag from his bag. Further investigation into the matter is going on,” he added.
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