KL Report

SRINAGAR

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Traffic Jam outside the Civil Secretariat on the first day of Darbar in Srinagar.

Amid shutdown called by traders, a series of protests were witnessed on the day durbar opened in Srinagar for its six months stint. Trade and political parties were out in protest, almost the same time, creating problems for the newsmen to cover the developments.

Stone pelting broke out in Srinagar’s Maisuma Tuesday, which created chaos in the area as police resorted to tear-gas shelling. Eye witnesses said that some youth started pelting stones at police in the area—thus triggered panic in the area.

Stone pelting happened at a time when major parts of Srinagar are observing shutdown on Traders Federation call.

DSC_0343The shutdown has coincided with the opening day of summer darbar — started today in Srinagar. Before assuming office Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was given guard of honour.  Traders sponsored a strike in the city to protest the delay in compensating the losses caused by the floods. Though there were some efforts to reach out to the trade, the process last evening.

DSC_0233On Tuesday as officials and ministers were on their way to the secretariat, traders assembled in good numbers near the Budshah Chowk and were on their way to the civil secretariat when the police intervened. Cops burst smoke shells and chased them off the roads. Some of the trade leaders were arrested by the police. Traders call was observed mostly by the trade and not by the transport. All the schools and offices were open.

pcc-president-gh-ah-mir-adress--party-workers-before-secreterate-geraw-at-srinagar-5Amid shutdown, however, JK Pradesh Congress Committee took out a protest march against the new dispensation’s “anti-people” policies. “Mufti is playing dual politics,” said JKPCC President GA Mir while addressing media in Srinagar’s Press Enclave where he turned up with some hundred supporters. “Mufti must clear his stand on his govt’s anti-people policies.”

Mir lead his protest from the M A Road office. Leading a good gathering with part flags, the protest had different halts and speeches till they were intervened by the stone pelters near Maisuma. As the Congress men and women reached near Maisuma, it triggered a reaction. Scores of boys came out of the alleys and targeted the Congressmen forcing them to return. They eventually ended their protest in the Press Colony.

DSC_0184Even though stone pelters forced retreat of Congress men, it lead to a brief clash between police and them. For almost half an hour, the cops and the youth exchanged brick-batting and the situation faded away after a series of tear smoke shells were burst in the area.

DSC_0050As the cops were managing teh situation in the Lal Chowk belt, another posse of the police was busy managing another protest in Batamaloo. There was MLA Langate, Er Rasheed, on his way to the centre of governance for his proposed Secretariat Gherao. He was leading his workers and police intervened that led top minor scuffle and eventual arrest of Rashid and some of his colleagues.

The day also saw the new dispensation putting Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani under house arrest. Geelani’s house arrest came days after CM Mufti promised action against Geelani over “hoisting of Pak flags” during his Tral rally.

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