Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 5: The district administration today continued imposition of strict restrictions in Shi’a-dominated areas of Srinagar city here under two police station areas following the violent protests against the execution of Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr-al Nimr in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last week.
A police officer told Excelsior that strict restrictions were imposed in the areas falling under Zadibal and Rainwari Police Stations. He said the decision to continue the restrictions was taken in the aftermath of violence on Sunday and Monday and also to prevent any sectarian clash.
Hundreds of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in strength in Shi’a dominated areas who enforced the restrictions strictly. They said no one was allowed to come out of his or her house while all the entry and exit points of the areas like Zadibal, Alamgari Bazar, Saida Kadal and Hawal were sealed.
Though the situation largely remained peaceful but protests against the Saudi regime broke out in the interiors of Dal Lake from Meer Behri side in Saida Kadal. Police resorted to heavy teargas shelling and baton charge to disperse the protesters. There were, however, no reports of injury to anyone.
Elsewhere the situation remained peaceful while a protest rally was taken out by Shiites in Magam area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district against the execution of Nimr by the Saudi government. Nimr was executed along 46 other death convicts, 43 of whom were Al Qaeda militants and ideologues, convicted of orchestrating attacks and protests against the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, police last night released all the youth accused of stone-pelting in restive Pulwama town of South Kashmir but the shutdown continued in the area for the 7th straight day. Police released more than a dozen youth last night at 11 pm after the intervention of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader and Political Analyst in Chief Minister’s Office, Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra.
To end the ongoing tension and shutdown in the town, police today held a meeting with local Auqaf Committee and traders but the meet could not yield anything as police refused permission for the installation of militants’ insignia.
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