KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
As Muslims across globe are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Wednesday, intense clashes between forces and youths took place in Himalayan region of Kashmir.
The biggest congregation of Eid Namaz was held at Eidgah where thousands of Muslims turned up for mandatory prayers.
Hurriyat Conference (m) chief, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was scheduled to lead the prayers but he was barred by authorities from moving out of his Nigeen residence early this dawn today.
As Imam Hai led two-rakat-Eid prayers, intense tear gas and flash bang shelling was happening on Nalabandh road near Sekidafar. Police and youth clashed with each other as Muslims said their prayers. The continuous shelling created uneasiness, however, the stage managers of Eid prayers intermittently directed faithful to remain calm. The forces even resorted to aerial firing. The main from Soura to Sekidafar was was completely blocked by forces.
Top separatist leadership was detained in their homes and thus stopped from participating in Eid congregations today.
87 year old Hurriyat patriarch Syed Ali Geelani continues to remain under house detention since he returned from New Delhi. His deputy Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai has also been arrested at his Baghat home since Jumat-ul-Vida.
JKLF chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Pir Saifullah, Shabir Shah, Javaid Mir and others too were put under house detention since early today. Pir Saifullah was scheduled to lead prayers at Sopore.
As Eid prayers concluded at Hyderpora man Jamia Masjid, youth took to streets held strong protests against continuous arrest of Geelani, Clashes followed and several youth were reported as having got injured.
Reports reaching from North Kashmir’s Sopore said that biggest Eid Namaz congregation was held at Noorgah ground.
As soon as Eid Namaz concluded, amid pro-freedom slogans, intense clashes took place in Sopore between youth and forces.
Kashmir Life Correspondent reported from South Kashmir’s Islamabad that a number of youth besides 9 forces personnel have sustained injuries who were later shifted to District hospital Islamabad for treatment.
Resistance leadership had called for peaceful protests after Eid Namaz today against proposed “Sainik, Pandit Colonies”; New Industrial Policy and snooping on Clergy.
Since 2010 civil uprising, Geelani and Mirwaiz have been continuously been barred from participating in Eid prayers in Kashmir.
