Authorities on Saturday imposed curbs here in city parts to foil ‘Eidgah Chalo’ march called by Hurriyat Conference to commemorate the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone. Elsewhere, life remained affected due to a shutdown called by the pro-freedom conglomerate.According to GNS, heavy contingents of police and paramilitary troopers were deployed in areas falling under seven police stations which include Safa Kadal, Nowhatta, Maharaj Gunj, Rainawari, Maisuma, Nigeen and Khanyar and restricted the movement of civilians by erecting mobile bunkers and concertina wires on main squares and bridges.The Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for Eidgah march to pay tributes to his late father Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq – who was killed by unidentified gunmen on this day in 1990 at his residence – and Abdul Gani Lone – who was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in Eidgah at a commemoration rally in 2002 on this day. More than fifty people were also killed on this day when paramilitary forces opened fire on mourners at Hawal.
All the roads, lanes and by-lanes leading to Eidgah were sealed by police and paramilitaries and no one was being allowed to go to the area with exceptions to patients till afternoon.Authorities had placed most of the senior Hurriyat leaders under house detention including its chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while few others were detained, a Hurriyat spokesman said here. The heads of Hurriyat (G) and JKLF, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik were also placed under house arrest.The activists of Awami Action Committee took out a rally from Nowshehra area of city and tried to march towards Eidgah but a large posse of police stopped them and used force ensuing clashes. Reports informed that the police used teargas against the protesters and also arrested scores of AAC workers.On the call of Mirwaiz, a shutdown was observed all across Kashmir Valley including in south and northern districts. The public and private transport remained by and large off the roads. The police said that the situation in Valley remained peaceful. (GNS)