Riyaz Ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
While life returned to normalcy in parts of Kashmir valley including summer capital Srinagar, protests and clashes erupted following Friday prayers in many areas.
North Kashmir’s main town Bandipora was shut. Since early in the morning, youth had engaged the paramilitary forces and police in ding dong battles. The market in the area remains shut.
JKLF Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik had decided to hold a sit-in at Lal Chowk against the killing of five youth in Shopian but he was not allowed by the police and later arrested. After which protests and stone pelting was reported from Maisuma and its adjoining parts in Lal Chowk.
In Laway Pora, on the outskirts of Srinagar City, reports of protests and stone pelting also came in. The protestors raised slogans against India and in favor of freedom.
As per reports from Palhallan, the area remained shut since morning.
The volatile Kurhama area of Ganderbal also held protests against India and pelted stones at police and paramilitary forces. Reports coming from the area say that the market around Bye-Pass in the area remained shut.
Protests were also held in the University of Kashmir after Friday prayers. University reverberated with anti India and Azaadi slogans. The students held protests against the killings in Shopian. The students later moved throughout the campus raising pro-freedom slogans.
Pertinently, octogenarian Syed Ali Geelani had called for protests after Friday prayers against the killings in Shopian. He has also called for strike on Saturday and Sunday.
Significantly, Jamaat-i-Islami J&K has postponed its annual congregation which was to be held on Sunday at Bandipora in view of the prevailing situation.
