Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 12: Restrictions were imposed in parts of Srinagar city while a general strike called by the Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, against any extension of lease to Tosamaidan firing range, paralysed life in Kashmir valley.
Despite security measures, at least 12 people, including policemen were injured during the clashes between police and protestors at various places across Valley.
Groups of youth protested at Rajori Kadal, Kawdara and Safa Kadal in the old city areas of Srinagar and pelted stones at police. Police charged batons on them and fired tear smoke to disperse them.
A group of youths tried to lead protest demonstrations at Palhalan and Pattan but police and CRPF deployed in the area prevented them from taking out any protest demonstrations. Youths pelted stones at police who charged batons on them and fired tear gas shells to disperse them.
Police also chased a group of protesters at Shopian and Pulwama in South Kashmir resulting in clashes. Police fired smoke shells to disperse them.
A large number of youth came out on streets in Bandipora and held protests. They pelted stones at police and in the ding dong battles few youth and cops were injured.
Chairman Hurriyat (M) Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, its two more leaders, Abbas Ansari and Aga Syed Hassan, were kept under house arrest today to prevent them from leading any protest demonstration. The police informed these leaders about their house arrest in the morning.
Authorities also imposed restrictions in parts of the old city by imposing Section-144 to prevent any law and order problems. Barricades were erected in several areas there was additional deployment of police and CRPF at sensitive places to foil any protest demonstrations.
In other parts of the Valley, normal life was affected with public transport mostly off the roads. However, private vehicles were seen plying on the roads normally.
Shops and other business establishments were closed in majority of the areas due to the strike call. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions remained also closed.
The strike also affected life in others parts of the Valley with shops remaining closed and public transport off the roads. However, a police spokesman said that the situation throughout the day remained peaceful with no untoward incident reported from anywhere.
Mirwaiz in a statement issued here commended the people for observing a complete strike to protest against the proposed extension of lease of Tosa Maidan to Army.
Mirwaiz, said that he was put under house arrest since last evening. “The shutdown has once again proved that the people of Kashmir do not submit to the high handedness of the ruling regimes and besides demanding demilitarization”, he added.
While condemning the undeclared curfew in parts of Srinagar, the separatist leader said that these repressive measures are not going to dampen the spirit of the people
“The extension of the Tosa Maidan lease would make the life of thousands of people miserable and would consolidate the military consolidation that would have serious repercussions on the local population and would cause serious human and environmental problems,” Mirwaiz said in the statement.
The separatist leader said that the suffering and the damage that people have suffered so far due to the presence of Army in Tosa Maidan should be an eye-opener for those in power and they should restrain from inflicting further damage by extending the lease.
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