Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 29: Authorities today disallowed traditional Muharram procession from Guru Bazar to Dalgate here by imposing restrictions in eight police station areas of Srinagar during which dozens of Shia mourners were detained by police as they attempted to take out processions.
Since morning, police imposed restrictions in eight police station areas including Shaheed Gunj, Karan Nagar, Maisuma, Kothi Bagh, Shergari, Kralkhud, Batamaloo and Ram Munshi Bagh. Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear were deployed in these areas to prevent Shia mourners from carrying out processions. Police had erected barbed wires and mobile bunkers at key junctions.
Despite curbs, the groups of Shia mourners attempted to take out processions at several places in the city that included Batamaloo, Jehangir Chowk, Exchange Road, Karan Nagar and Dalgate. Police, however, swung into action and detained dozens of mourners who were beating their chests, shouting slogans in favour of Imam Hussain — the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who was martyred in Karbala, Iraq around 1300 years ago.
At Dalgate, police used teargas canisters and batons against the Shia mourners including females as they tried to take out procession after Friday prayers. However, unlike past, the situation did not escalate at any place and remained under control. The authorities have been disallowing traditional Muharram procession from Guru Bazar to Dalgate since the outbreak of militancy as it fears law and order deterioration in city centre.
Due to curbs in city areas, the business activities were severely hit as shops and commercial establishments were largely shut while the transport compared to other days was also off the roads. A police officer said the day passed off peacefully and all the detained mourners would be released. “There was no major resistance from mourners and everything remained under control,” he said.
Meanwhile, a youth was critically injured after he was hit by pellets during stone-throwing clashes outside Jama Masjid in Nowhatta area of downtown here. Witnesses said a teenager namely Mudasir Ahmad Beigh was injured when security forces fired pellets at stone-throwers near Jama Masjid today after Friday prayers. He was hit by dozens of pellets and was rushed to hospital. Police said the condition of the youth is stable.
Earlier, dozens of youth clashed with security forces near Jama Masjid after Friday prayers. The clashes affected business activities in the area as shopkeepers downed their shutters. In Sopore town of Baramulla district, clashes broke out between youth and security forces after Friday prayers in Jama Masjid area. A shutdown for the third consecutive day was also observed in Sopore town against the killing of Lashkar-e-Islam chief Abdul Qayoom Najjar in a gunfight.
The shutdown also continued in Tral town of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district against the killing of a local civilian in grenade attack last week on Works Minister Naeem Akhtar. Mushtaq was admitted in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura and succumbed on Wednesday. In total, three civilians were killed and 32 persons injured during the attack in which Minister escaped unhurt.
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