Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 19: As the ding dong battles continued in Narbal area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district today, authorities foiled a protest of separatist leaders in Pratap Park area of Srinagar.
Police fired tear smoke shells in Narbal as protesters pelted stones at Police and para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) blocking the Srinagar-Gulmarg road.
The youth were protesting against killing of 16-year old boy, Suhail Ahmad Sofi, who was killed in police firing yesterday morning at Narbal. The ding dong battles continued throughout the day and police and CRPF was heavily deployed to prevent any flare up.
Two policemen including an officer have been arrested in connection with Sofi’s killing while the SHO of the concerned police station has been attached for lack of supervision.
Elsewhere, the situation remained peaceful and police foiled a march of Hurriyat Conference leaders to Pratap Park in Srinagar against killing of a boy in Narbal.
Authorities have kept several separatists including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest to thwart protests against the killing of a teenager in police firing in Budgam district.
Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest yesterday morning and Geelani remained under house arrest for the third consecutive day. Police personnel in large numbers were deployed outside the residences of these separatist leaders to prevent them from leading protests at Residency Road here in the afternoon.
Geelani had appealed to separatist leaders to assemble at Pratap Park in Lal Chowk today at 2 PM to register their protest.
The separatists had called for shut down in district Budgam but the majority of the shops in and around Lal Chowk remained shut fearing law and order problems. The weekly flea market was also affected due to tension.
Despite restrictions some of the Hurriyat Conference leaders reached Lal Chowk where they held a protest demonstration that was led by Altaf Ahmad Shah against killing of boy at Narbal and youth at Tral.
A delegation of Hurriyat Conference (M) visited Narbal where the protest was held against the killing of Suhail Ahmad Sofi.
Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar convened a high level meeting of Police, CRPF and Intelligence officers late last night to take stock of the law and order situation in the Valley, a police spokesman said.
The DGP was briefed by officers about current law and order and security situation. He was also given a detailed briefing about the Narbal incident.
Rajendra emphasized that justice will be delivered to the victim’s family, taking into account the complete facts of the incident.
The DGP directed the officers present in the meeting to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future, he said.
He enjoined upon the officers to convey to the rank and file that they should strictly adhere to laid down Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) while dealing with law and order situations.
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