Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 13: Police today foiled the march of separatists to martyrs’ graveyard by imposing restrictions in downtown area of the city here. They also placed top separatist leaders under house arrest to prevent them from reaching downtown.
To commemorate the 84th martyrdom of July 13, 1931 firing victims, the separatists including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik had announced a joint program.
They had called upon people to reach Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta on afternoon prayers and from there they would lead a rally to martyrs’ graveyard in the compound of Naqashband Sahib Shrine at Khwaja Bazar locality.
Since early morning, authorities had deployed police and Central Reserve Police Force in full strength in the jurisdiction of five police stations of downtown including Nowhatta, Safakadal, MR Gunj, Rainawari and Khanyar and imposed restrictions on the civilian movement. The security men had erected barbed wires on different junctions and bridges of the downtown and also on the roads leading to martyrs graveyard.
The security personnel were also deployed in Maisuma area of the city to foil any attempt of protest or march to downtown. The area witnessed stone-throwing clashes between police and protesters in the evening.
There were no restrictions in other parts of the city. The shops and commercial establishments were open across the city while as the transport was also plying normally.
Even as mainstream leaders and their workers visited martyrs’ graveyard and paid floral tributes to the slain but none of the separatist leader or activist managed to make it to the venue due to restrictions.
Police said the situation remained peaceful across Kashmir.
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