Srinagar: Authorities on Friday foiled the Shopian chalo program of Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq by putting Mirwaiz and top leaders of amalgam under house arrest, Violent clashes broke out in old city and Baramullah when agitated youth pelted stones and forces resorted to heavy baton charge, teargas shelling to disperse them in which nineteen persons including two photo journalists, four security forces were injured. People also took out a procession at Jamia Mashid, raised slogans and try to march towards Shopian.
Eye told that police on Friday foiled the attempt of Hurriyat activists to march towards Shopian. “Hurriyat activists assembled at Jamia Masjid in old city and took out a procession raising slogans. However, police and CRPF men intercepted them and resorted to heavy baton charge and teargas shelling to disperse them. Police resorted to baton charge at Hurriyat activists and dispersed them,â€
Pertinently, Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for Shopian Chalo on Friday to express solidarity with families of the youth killed in CRPF firing and to break the curfew under which Shopian has been reeling for the past 14 days.
Reports said that police resorted to cane charge and tear gas shelling in Nowhatta area of the old city as people started sloganeering after Friday prayers outside Jamia Masjid.People assembled outside the Jamia Masjid and started marching amid anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. As the protesters move forward, a large contingent of police already deployed in the area cane charged to disperse them which followed by tear gas shelling in which eight persons including security forces, photo journalists were injured.
Police spokesperson told that that there were reports of sporadic protests in old city, but the situation was normal in other parts of Kashmir of the valley,” he said.
Divisional commissioner Kashmir Shailendra Kumar told KNS that apart from few minor protests situation remained peaceful across the valley. Eyewitness told that a march was carried out in old city’s Khanyar locality by dozens of All Party Hurriyat Conference (M) activists who chanted pro-freedom slogans. The procession demanded action against the perpetrators of Shopian incident. As the activists marched towards Khanyar chowk and the protestors swelled in numbers, police and paramilitary forces stopped them. They used teargas to disperse the protestors.
Protests were also reported from Baramulla, Sumbal, Kulgam, Treigam and the Pattan, Palhalan. Eyewitness told that people took procession in Mainchock Baramullah after Friday prayers. “As protesters tried to march forward they were intercepted by police. Youth also pelted stones towards the security forces. Police use tear gas shelling in which three youth were injured. Meanwhile Villagers of Palhalan blocked the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway and pelted stones at police and paramilitary forces. A complete shutdown is being observed in the village since Wednesday when two local youth who had joined militant ranks recently were killed in an encounter with police and Rashtriya Rifles in Goshbagh locality. The villagers allege that the two youth were allegedly captured and killed in a staged encounter by the forces. In south Kashmir, a protest was held in main Islamabad town after Friday prayers against the Shopian killings. Those who were under house arrest including Prof Abdul Gani Bhat,  Moulana Abbas Ansari and Agha Syed Hassan.
