Violent anti-India protests erupted in Murran area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district Wednesday while partial shutdown was observed in Valley. The joint resistance leadership issued weekly calendar here and announced three-day full relaxation in shutdown. According to GNS correspondent, the situation turned volatile in Murran in view of the ‘Murran chalo’ call by resistance leadership scheduled today. To foil the rally in advance, police conducted raids at Murrana and Rohmoo areas and detained six and nine youths respectively. The police raids triggered protests at Murran early in the morning.In view of the ‘chalo’ call, hundreds of youth held a rally at Murran and took out a protest march. Shouting anti-India, pro-freedom, pro-Islam and pro-militant slogans, the protesters marched upto Kangan village. However the protesters were intercepted near Murran by government forces and resorted to teargas shelling on demonstrators. The clashes that spread throughout the Murran continued throughout till late hours. Police lobbed dozens of teargas shells but the youth however didn’t relent and continued stone-pelting on forces. Due to clashes, the Murran and adjoining areas remained tense while despite call for relaxation shutdown after 4pm, the shops didn’t open.
Meanwhile, a partial shutdown continued in Kashmir Valley on Tuesday. Despite shutdown call, large numbers of private and public vehicles were seen plying all across the city roads since early morning. Besides, the auto-rickshaws, passenger cabs and two-wheelers in huge numbers also dominated city roads. Some passenger buses were also seen in Old City areas. The situation in other districts of the Valley was similar to summer capital. Witnesses said private vehicles, passenger cabs’ and buses were seen on inter-district roads and in main towns of the districts in south, centre and north Kashmir. Police said the day passed off normally but deployments in order to prevent any outbreak of protests remained in place.In the meanwhile, for the first time since July 8, the joint resistance leadership spearheading present mass uprising that started after killing of militant commander Burhan Muzzafar Wani, announced three day full relaxation in shutdown in its weekly protest calendar.According to the protest calendar, there would be no shutdown on coming Saturday, Sunday and Monday. On Monday, Eid-e—Millad-un-Nabi (SAW) shall be observed and apparently no shutdown has been called on that day. Furthermore, full-day shutdown has been called on Friday this week and Tuesday next week. However, there would be relaxation in shutdown on Wednesday and Thursday after 4pm next week.(GNS)