City centre shuts down on 27th anniversary of Gaw Kadal massacre

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 21-Jan-2017

To mark the 27th anniversary of Gaw Kadal massacre, a complete shutdown amid restrictions in Civil Lines area of capital Srinagar on Saturday.On 21st January of 1990, more than 50 people were killed by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) after they opened fire on a pro-freedom procession in Gaw Kadal area.  The call for shutdown was given by joint resistance leadership comprising of heads of Hurriyat Conference factions including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik.Eyewitnesses told GNS that most of the shops, commercial establishments, banks and other offices were closed in Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Maisuma, Regal Chowk, Residency Road, Court Road, Amira Kadal, Koker Bazar, Gaw Kadal, Red Cross Road, Exchange Road, Hari Singh High Street, Maharaja Bazar, Magarmal Bagh, Jehangir Chowk and Sarai Bala. However, the public and private transport was plying normally, they said.In order to prevent pro-Azadi protests, authorities only yesterday had arrested JKLF chief Yasin Malik and another pro-freedom leader Hilal Ahmad War. The authorities today clamped restrictions at Maisuma, Gaw Kadal, Amira Kadal and Basant Bagh. However, despite restrictions, a protest rally was taken out from Gaw Kadal until Basant Bagh here.The rally participants shouted slogans in favour of Islam, Azadi and martyrs. Those who attended the protest include Raja Mehraj-ud-din, Advocate Mohd Shafi Reshi, Mohammad Shafi Lone, Syed Mohammad Shafi, Feroz Ahmad Khan, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, Molvi Bashir Ahmad, Syed Saleem Zargar, Mohammad Yasin Ataie, Mohammad Ramzan Khan and others.(GNS)