Restrictions violent clashes break out in Tral and Srinagar

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 17-Apr-2015

In a bid to thwart the march to South Kashmir’s Tral town called by Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Geelani to protest and express solidarity with the familiy of a youth Khalid Wani killed in Army firing, Authorities Friday sealed all the entry and exit points leading towards Tral town.For the first time, authorities did not impose restrictions and curfew in seven police station areas in old  Srinagar city, however heavy deployment of police and central paramilitary had been made to check protests. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led a protest march after Friday prayers that culminated at Jamia Masjid Gate in Nowhata Srinagar. Castigating the authorities to for not allowing people to visit Tral, Mirwaiz said that such tactics will not deter the people from taking the ongoing freedom struggle to its logical conclusion. 

Mirwaiz addressed a large gathering ouside Jamia Masjid. He was accompanied by senior Hurriyat leader Javid Ahmed Mir and other leaders. The protesters set the Indian flag on fire and amid pro-freedom slogans tried to march towards the main chowk.Reports said that soon after the protest march scores of youth carrying banners and placards clashed with police in Nowhatta and Gojwara chowk. Youth hurled stones at police prompting CRPF and Police to use tear smoke shells to disperse them. Eyewitnesses said that at 13 people including 6 policemen were injured in the clashes. The clashes between the protesters and police continued for hours. The government forces resorted to aerial firing to disperse the stone-pelters. Locals while displaying the Lot Number of tear smoke shells alleged that the government forces used expired shells on the protesters. “This is Lot Number 25 and these tear smoke shells as per the slip that I picked up from the road have expired on February 2015 and still they are using them,” said a local to CNS.    

Early in the morning additional contingents of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed as all the entry and exit points of the Tral town were sealed. Police had also put concertina wires at crossing points at several places in the town. The CRPF and police were deployed in the lanes and by lanes of the town. A Democratic Political Movement (DPM) delegation lead by Advocate Muhammad Shafi Reshi were stopped and detained at Pantha Chowk when they were on way to Tral. Reshi told CNS that police detained several workers of the organization including Altaf Ahmed Shah, Shakil Ahmed Bhat, Muhammad Imran and Syed Muhammad Shafi.Eyewitnesses told CNS that the streets and roads in South Kashmir’s Tral town wore a deserted look. Scores of police and CRPF personnel deployed on roads restricted the movement of the people and did not allow people especially youth to move freely. Barricades were erected at Awantipora by police and no individual or group was allowed to move towards the Tral town.

Despite strict restrictions, hundreds of people took out a march shortly after Friday prayers from Khankah Faiz Panah Tral. The march was led by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Amir Hamzah. Reports said that amid pro-freedom slogans, the protesters after passing through Old Market visited the residence of Hizb slain militant, Muhammad Younis Ganaie and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. Reports said that soon after leaving the house of Hizb slain militant, the protest march moved towards the residence of another slain youth Khalid Muzafar Wani, however, the protesters clashed with the police and CRPF personnel when it reached near Goal Masjid. The youth resorted to stone-pelting while police used tear smoke shells to disperse them. Reports said that in a bid to stop the massive stone-pelting government forces fired some bullets in air, that created chaos in the area. The clashes continued for hours.The stone-pelting incidents also occurred in Trag Chadai and Kounsarbal area of Tral town. Earlier, a protest march from Dadsara was stopped by police near Amirabad Tral, resulting in the clashes between the two. Eyewitnesses told CNS that police charged protesters with canes who in retaliation hurled stones on governmnet forces.A police official said that the restrictions were imposed to maintain law and order in the town.

The situation in South Kashmir’s Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian districts remained peaceful, however in Pulwama large contingent of police and CRPF were deployed after a group of youth resorted to stone-pelting at Muran Chowk. “Barring this incident, the situaion in the district remained peaceful. Shops were open, traffic plied normally and there were no after Friday protest,” an eyewitness informed.Authorities had placed Syed Ali Geelani, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan under house detention, reports said. A Hurriyat G statement said that Syed Ali Geelani was once again house arrested by the police thus preventing him from visiting Tral where he was scheduled to address the people. “The huge deployment of police personals cordoned off the residence of Geelani and informed him about his house detention. A police vehicle stood blocking the main entrance gate of the pro-freedom leader. Hurriyat Conference has strongly condemned this action of the police and said that these actions further expose the fake pro-Kashmir stance of Mufti Sayed.” (CNS)