Despite unprecedented security cover, the Islamic State or ISIS flag yet again surfaced in Old City here in summer capital Srinagar on Friday afternoon.Eyewitnesses told GNS that even as authorities had placed hundreds of police, Central Reserve Police Force and Special Operation Group (SOG) personal in Old City areas including Nowhatta, Gojwara, Khwaja Bazar, Bhori Kadal and Rajouri Kadal, a group of youth shouting pro-ISIS and pro-Al Qaeda slogans appeared inside Jamia Masjid compound. “Two masked youth leading the group of around 20 youths were holding an ISIS flag,” an eyewitness told GNS.
According to eyewitnesses and official sources, the senior police and CRPF officers were also present in Nowhatta and they were continuously monitoring the situation. Sources informed that security men in civvies were also deployed in and around Jamia Masjid and Nowhatta to maintain vigil on suspected persons.As the youths appeared outside Jamia Masjid with an ISIS flag, the forces deployed inside by-lanes chased them away.Minutes before surfacing of Islamic State flag, some youth pelted stones on police men deployed on Jamia Masjid gate. However, witnesses said, they dispersed instantly.
Earlier, panic gripped Nowhatta and adjoining areas after huge contingents of forces – holding assault automatic rifles and teargas shells – arrived along with armoured vehicles. The people including shopkeepers were caught in surprise as it was after long time that Nowhatta had witnessed such huge deployment of forces on Friday.As reported earlier by GNS, the security agencies had decided to intensify vigil in Old City on Friday. The continuous appearance of Islamic State flag in Kashmir has worried security agencies while as army had repeatedly said that surfacing of ISIS flag merits highest concern. The security agencies in Kashmir are investigating whether youths holding ISIS flags are just sympathizers or beyond that as the group has attracted thousands across the world towards Jihad, sources on Thursday had told GNS.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as well as security agencies have so far said that ISIS has no presence in Kashmir. The Chief Minister few months ago revealed that a Kashmir youth based in Australia has reportedly joined Islamic State but added that none from Kashmir travelled to Syria or Iraq to join the group. He recently termed the youths holding ISIS flags ‘idiots’.Before devastating floods, the police in Srinagar had questioned several youths over surfacing of ISIS flags in Kashmir. The police had also questioned a cameraperson working with a Mumbai based news channel. (GNS)