Srinagar, October 15: A complete shutdown was observed across Kashmir Valley on 99th day of mass uprising that started with the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani in July while several persons including forces men were injured in Shopian violence.
According to GNS, hundreds of forces men were deployed in five police station areas of Srinagar’s Old City – MR Gunj, Nowhatta, Safa Kada, Rainwari and Khanyar – since early morning. There was however civilian movement without any disruption in all these areas. The areas like Habba Kadal and Maisuma were also under thick security blankt
In Civil Lines and uptown area of the Srinagar, extra-ordinary movement of private transport and pedestrians was seen since early morning but all the shops, commercial establishments and educational institutes were closed. Besides, the vendors had set up their stalls at Batamaloo, Lal Chowk, Dalgate, Sonwar, Jehangir Chowk, Exhibition crossing and Jawahar Nagar. The forces were deployed at sensitive areas in strength.
In the evening, all the markets across Srinagar opened in the wake of resistance programme of deal in strike after 5pm. The city markets including Lal Chowk witnessed huge rush of people and there were reports of heavy traffic jam from many civil lines areas.
Reports said that a complete shutdown was also observed in other parts of the Valley including in south and north Kashmir district. These reports said that at least 12 civilians were injured after clashes erupted against forces’ ‘high-handedness’ in Werpora village of Nagbal in Shopian district. Reports from the area said that said that forces allegedly thrashed the inmates after barging into their houses in Werpora at around 4 am today. The forces were also accused of damaging civilian properties.
However, a police spokesperson denied the allegations of locals and said: “the Shopian police administration has clarified that on a tip off, police and security forces cordoned off Urpora -Nagbal area and conducted the search operations early today morning.
“At the time of withdrawal miscreants in large numbers from Hushnpora Daschnu and Humana etc assembled and pelted stones on the joint party. Thirty eight police CRPF/Security force men were injured and four of their vehicles were damaged. Police and security force men exercised maximum restraint. The miscreants were chased away by using mild force,” he said. The spokesman said some private vehicles were damaged in stone pelting.
Massive clashes also erupted at Pulwama Town in the evening hours during which police and CRPF resorted to teargas shelling against the protesters. As a result of clashes, the shops and other commercial established remained shut inspite of deal in strike. The protests also erupted at Rohmoo area of Pulwama district against slapping of PSA on three locals.
According to locals, police slapped the PSA on three youth namely Manzoor Ahmad Bhagat (30) and shifted him to Srinagar, Hilal Ahmad Yatoo (28) and shifted him to Kathua and Bilal Ahmad Dar (26) and shifted him to Kupwara. They said that Manzoor is a Hurriyat activist and an office bearer of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat. The protesters in the area were demanding release of these youths.
According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, situation across the Kashmir valley remained largely peaceful today. “Following improvement in the situation curfew was completely lifted from the remaining Srinagar parts today,” it said adding that during the day no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the valley.
The statement said that with the increase in traffic movement in the Srinagar city and in other towns of Valley the life returned to normal across Kashmir today. Meanwhile, the statement said that in its continuous drive against the trouble-mongers police arrested 48 such individual involved in disrupting the public order in different parts of the valley. “As has been reported earlier pre paid mobile telephony was completely restored across Kashmir last night,” the statement said.(GNS)