Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 27: Two hardcore stone pelters, who were evading arrest, were arrested from Jammu while an auto rickshaw was set ablaze by unknown persons last night in Rainawari area of Srinagar even as shutdown across Kashmir valley paralysed life for 111th consecutive day today.
Security forces personnel were heavily deployed in five police station areas of Srinagar’s Old City – MR Gunj, Nowhatta, Safa Kadal, Rainawari and Khanyar – since early morning. Jamia Masjid area, in view of tomorrow’s separatist march call, was placed under restrictions by security forces.
In Civil Lines and uptown area of Srinagar, there was movement of private transport and pedestrians but shops, commercial establishments and educational institutes were closed. Due to Wednesday’s attacks by masked youth, the vendors didn’t establish their stalls in Lal Chowk and its adjacent areas.
A police official said unidentified persons yesterday had set ablaze an auto-rickshaw at Rainawari area of Old City. In the evening, clashes erupted at Nowhatta area of Old City between youths and security forces.
Police said one Mohammad Lateef Bhat, resident of Khawaja Pora Saida Pora, Rainawari reported in Police Station Rainawari that his auto bearing registration number JK01H-3931 was set on fire by some unknown men late last night. The auto was parked outside his residence. Srinagar police has registered a case in this regard.
A police spokesman said here in a statement that two hard core stone pelters who are involved in many stone pelting cases and arson cases were arrested from Jammu.
Police said that a special team of Srinagar Police arrested two hardcore stone pelters – Humair alias Nelcha and Zahid Rasool Sheikh of Nowhatta – from Jammu. “The duo is involved in many stone pelting cases as also in the cases of arson,” police said, adding both of them were evading arrest.
“They are involved in case FIR numbers 43/2016 under Section 341, 435 RPC of Police Station Khanyar, 14/2010, 85/2011, 74/2012, 96/2015, 107/2016 under Section 307, 148, 149, 336, 435, 427 RPC, 120 B of Police Station Nowhatta,” the police said.
Unidentified persons targeted street vendors in Sopore Town of North Kashmir with petrol bombs for defying shutdown, resulting in some damage to their goods. Police later arrived on the spot and started manhunt to nab the attackers.
A police spokesman said: “In Sopore, some unknown miscreants hurled a petrol bomb near Iqbal market Sopore. However, no loss of life or injury was reported in this incident. Police has taken cognizance. In Pulwama some miscreants pelted stones on police and security force deployment at Karimabad. They were chased away”.
At Kulgam district, militants opened fire in air at Chawalgam market apparently to enforce the shutdown, a police official said here. The firing created panic among people and later Government forces cordoned off the entire area.
A police spokesman said: “The situation across the Valley remained normal, although a minor stone pelting incident was reported from Pulwama till filing of this report. Moharram processions were taken out in Srinagar, Budgam and Baramulla.”
“For the hassle free movement of the traffic, adequate deployment of police and security forces was made at vulnerable points in Srinagar city, in main towns as also on the roads, lanes and by-lanes connecting different places,” he said.
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