Kashmir News Service
SRINAGAR
Authorities on Thursday continued to impose restrictions on 34th consecutive day in Kashmir while the forces blocked all the roads leading to Mazaar-e-Shohada (Martyrs graveyard at Eidgah) to foil the march called by united resistance leadership to pay tributes to pro-freedom leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz.
A top police official said that strict curfew and restrictions were imposed today in parts of Srinagar, Islamabad, Kulgam and Pulwama to thwart any protests against the civilian killings and to foil a march called by the pro-freedom leadership.
Witnesses said that a large contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF troopers who have been deployed on roads have sealed all the entry and exit points of the roads leading to Mazaar-e-Shohada.
However, police detained Hurriyat Conference (g) chairperson, Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat Conference (m) chairperson, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other pro-freedom leaders who tried to march towards Mazaar-e-Shohada to pay homage to Sheikh Abdul Aziz, martyrs of 2008 and 2010 uprisings.
The leaders were detained on way to Eidgah and were taken into police custody.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between youth and forces in Kaka Sarai area of Srinagar. “Forces fired tear smoke shells to disperse the agitating youth,” witnesses said.
A peaceful pro-freedom protest was held in Kani Kadal area of Srinagar, in which men, children and mostly youth participated.
The protesters were chanting slogans in favour of ‘Azadi’ and later dispersed off, peacefully.
Reports said that a pro-freedom rally was organized by the locals in Talangam village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Reports said that thousands of people participated in the rally. Local sources said that people had managed food for those who had come from far off places.
“Preparations for this massive gathering were being held since Wednesday evening,” reports quoting a local said, “forces tried to disturb late Wednesday night but locals resisted.”
Notably, Muslims in Rajouri town observed a complete shutdown on Thursday against the civilian killings in Kashmir.
The call was given by religious scholars to protest against the killing of civilians in Kashmir.
Reports said that all the shops, business establishments of Muslims are closed while traffic is also thin on roads.
Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Javid Mujtaba Gilani said that the situation in the valley remained “by and large normal barring few incidents of stone pelting by the miscreants”.
“Although restrictions under section 144/Cr PC remained in force in the Valley, curfew was imposed in some parts of Srinagar, Pampore town and Islamabad town only,” he said.
“Miscreants pelted stones on security force deployments in Goriwan area of Bijbehara, Islamabad. Later on they were chased away by using mild force,” IGP added.
IGP said that in Srinagar a group of miscreants pelted stones on forces personnel deployments near Kaka Sarai, Srinagar. “They were chased away,” he said.
