Curfew imposed in parts of Srinagar to prevent Muharram procession

Srinagar: Curfew has been imposed in parts of Srinagar city, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of summer capital, this morning to prevent Muharram procession on the tenth day (Youm-e-Ashroo) of Muharram month of Islam.

Situation elsewhere in the valley was normal, where Muharram processions were taken out peacefully.
However, police said restrictions under section 144 CrPC were being strictly imposed in areas falling under police station of Kothibagh and Maisuma.
The situation on the ground was entirely different in these areas where security forces and police personnel were directing people to remain indoors because of curfew restrictions imposed since 0600 hrs this morning.
Even the mediapersons were directed to go back or face the music by the security force and police personnel deployed in the civil lines.
Hundreds of security force and police personnel had sealed the entire Civil Lines area since early this morning to prevent the ‘Ashroo’procession, which has been banned by the authorities since 90s citing security reasons.
The otherwise busy Civil Lines wore a deserted look with only security forces and police personnel seen deployed to strictly impose the restrictions.
Both the busy Amira Kadal and Budshah bridges on the Jehlum river connecting uptown with the Civil Lines have been closed with barbed wire and nobody was being allowed to cross them.
“We have orders that nobody should be allowed to move towards Budshah Chowk”, a police personnel said at Jehangir Chowk, asking people, including mediapersons to go back to their homes.