Srinagar: Valley reeled under curfew amid stone pelting incidents and processions for the second consecutive day on Friday.
The curfew was imposed across the Valley on Thursday following a Fidayeen attack at Bemina and killing of a civilian at Saidpora in old city.
Curfew continued to be in force in the summer capital today on Friday even as protests broke out at a number of places during the day. Stric curfew and restrictions remained in force in every part of Valley. People took to streets and processions were taken out at different places while stone pelting incidents were reported from Srinagar, Sopore and other places.
The entry points to the old city were sealed by placing barricades and laying razor wire. Additional police and paramilitary forces were deployed in these areas to restrict the civilian movement. No Friday prayers were offered in Jamia Masjid Nowhatta due to strict curfew.
In Srinagar’s Galwanpora and Rawalpora area, soon after Friday prayers took out a protest which was joined by hundreds of people. Amid anti-India slogans the youth present in procession resorted to stone pelting which resulted in pitched battles between security personnel and youth.
Hurriyat Conference leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani was arrested when he defied his house arrest and came out from his house before Friday prayers. He was arrested and taken to police station Humhama. A close aide of Geelani told that he was arrested outside his Hyderpora residence when he was planning to visit Afzal Guroo and Tahir Sofi’s residence located in Sopore and Baramullah.
In South Kashmir’s Tral town procession was taken out after Friday prayers. According to reports some people were allegedly shooting the procession with a video camera from inside the branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank. People attacked the bank and smashed its windows and doors. Agitated people also damaged the ATM of Jammu and Kashmir Bank. Branch Manager, Hamid-ulluha Paul told that some miscreants pelted stones on the Bank as they felt it was opened. “Nobody was present in the bank so it is wrong to say that somebody from the bank was taking photographs of the people present in the procession. Usually people shoot the processions with their mobile cameras as a fun,†Paul said adding the agitated people damaged the ATM and some window panes of the bank.
Police swung into action and cane charged the agitated youth who damaged the property of the bank. However no one was arrested.
Stone pelting incidents were also reported from Aloosa Bandipora, Hajin, Naidkhai while as processions were taken out in Kupwara, Tral, Pakhar pora and Pulwama and Shopian. The forces cane charged the processionist’s injuring several of them in Central Kashmir’s Pakharpora town. The ding-dong battles between two sides continued for several hours.
In Shopian District, after stray incidents of stone pelting, CRPF personnel went on a rampage and beat the inmates to pulp while damaging dozens of vehicles. Residents of Jan Mohallaha, Shopian told that CRPF personnel forced their entry into dozens of houses and not only beat people but also damaged the windowpanes of parked vehicles. Hundreds of people came out from their houses and raised anti-CRPF slogans.
Station House Officer, Handwara Shakil Ahmed was injured after he was hit by a stone in Langate area. He was shifted to nearby hospital.
In the evening, clashes broke out at several places in downtown when the police and CRPF returned from day’s duty. Youth pelted stones on them while forces attempted to chase them away.
Police on Friday said that situation remained largely peaceful throughout the Kashmir valley, though there were isolated incidents of stone pelting at few places. “Miscreants pelted stones at Hajin, Nayed Khai in Bandipora and Langate in Handwara. Police and security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the law and order situations. SHO Handwara and a Constable received injuries.â€
Pertinently, Valley has been witnessing frequent shutdowns and curfews since the day Muhammad Afzal Guru was hanged in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9.
