9 arrested for stone pelting, hideout busted
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Oct 27: Shutdown called by separatists and curfew like restrictions imposed by authorities in parts of Srinagar paralysed life in Kashmir today while security forces arrested nine persons on charges of stone pelting and busted a militant hideout.
Shops, markets, schools and colleges were closed in the region while public transport was off the roads as only private vehicles were plying.
Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in seven police station areas of Srinagar. The restrictions were imposed in areas falling under seven police station areas of City including Khanyar, Maisuma, Kralhud, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari and Safakadal.
All the roads in restriction-bound areas were sealed off since morning by hundreds of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men who were deployed to enforce curbs.
The restrictions were enforced more strictly in Jama Masjid area of Nowhatta and no one was allowed to offer Friday prayers for fifth straight week.
Authorities had deployed contingents of security forces in Civil Lines. Clashes broke out at Soura in Srinagar during the day while minor clashes also raged in parts of downtown this evening.
Shutdown was also observed in all the districts of the Valley including Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir and Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian in South Kashmir.
In the meantime, a policeman who had gone missing from his home at Shopian district of South Kashmir has reportedly joined Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit as his picture in which he poses with an AK rifle has gone viral on social media.
Constable Ishfaq Ahmad, a resident of Heff Shirmal village in Shopian district, had gone home on leave. He was posted at DPL Kathua. However, more than four days passed but he didn’t report back to duty at DPL Kathua.
Police have registered a case after a missing report was submitted by his family. A police officer said they took cognizance of the matter and began investigations to trace out the missing cop. “We are looking into all the angles, whether he has joined militants or other possibilities”, he said.
However, the picture of the cop posing with AK47 rifle went viral on the social media today in the afternoon. Along with his name, it was scripted on the photograph that the cop has joined LeT.
Meanwhile, Police have arrested 9 youths from Kakapora area of Pulwama district in South Kashmir today during night raids on the charges of stone-pelting.
Police carried out night raids in several localities of Kakapora and arrested as many as 9 youths allegedly involved in stone-pelting related cases. All the detained youths have been locked up at Pulwama police station.
Meanwhile, police today said that security forces busted two Jaish-e-Mohammad hideouts in Naristan forest belt of Tral in Pulwama district. In a joint operation with Army and CRPF, the Police busted two hideouts which were built with proper concealment with food material, cooking gas and other arrangements as well.
A case has been registered in this regard and further investigation taken up into the matter. Pertinently, Tral area witnessed a spike in militancy related incidents during past few weeks while two militants were also arrested during this period.
Follow our WhatsApp channel