Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 4: Police today arrested 57 persons including Dukhtaran-e-Millat chairperson, Asiya Andrabi, who was most wanted for inciting violence and was evading arrest since July while clashes and protests were reported during shutdown at many places in Kashmir.
Asiya and her associate Fehmeeda Sofi were arrested at Kralkhud in Habba Kadal area of Srinagar this afternoon and shifted to Kothi Bagh Police Station and they were later shifted to Women’s Police Station Rambagh in the evening.
Earlier, clashes erupted at Saloora in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal after Police tried to arrest Asiya who was leading a protest rally there. Police fired tear smoke to disperse the protesters. However, as the Asiya left Ganderbal Police was tracking her and arrested her.
She was wanted for fomenting trouble in Kashmir by organizing protests. She was evading arrest even as police conducted several raids since July for her.
As per police statement issued here, 57 persons were arrested during past 24 hours for creating disturbances in Kashmir. “In its drive to curb the activities of the miscreants, police during the past 24 hours arrested 57 such individuals involved in various offences of creating disturbances in different part of the Valley.
In the meantime, curfew like restrictions were imposed in three Police Station areas of Srinagar’s Old City – MR Gunj, Nowhatta and Khanyar. Police and para-military CRPF was heavily deployed in the Old City area but the movement of the people and traffic was allowed.
In the evening, stone-throwing clashes erupted at many Old City localities during which security forces fired teargas and pepper gas to foil protests. In Civil Lines and uptown areas of the Srinagar, extra-ordinary movement of private transport and pedestrians was seen since early morning but all the shops, commercial establishments and educational institutes were closed.
Besides, the vendors had set up their stalls at Batamaloo, Lal Chowk, Dalgate, Sonwar, Jehangir Chowk, Exhibition crossing and Jawahar Nagar. The security forces were deployed at sensitive areas in strength. In the evening, fewer shops were seen open at Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and Gogji Bagh areas.
Some youth set ablaze three auto-rickshaws at Saida Kadal, Baba Demb and Sazgaripora Hawal areas of Srinagar. At Batamaloo, stone-pelting clashes erupted between security forces and protesters during which police fired teargas.
Police said that miscreants in their attempt to disturb the situation set on fire two auto rickshaws, one at Bhagwanpora in the jurisdiction of police station Kralkhud and another at Rainawari near Polytechnic College Saidakadal in Srinagar. “Police has taken cognizance and launched search to nab those involved in these crimes,” it said.
A police spokesman said that the situation across the Valley remained by and large peaceful today. “However, two incidents of arson were reported from Srinagar and a stray incident of stone pelting was reported from Bandipora,” the statement said.
Normal movement of people and vehicular traffic was observed in Srinagar.
“Shops in some parts of the city were open besides a large number of vendors were also on the streets. Scores of vehicles were seen plying in the main towns and on the inter district roads of the Valley,” it said.
At Tral in Pulwama district, protests were held today and as soon as they reached near the bus stand, they were lathi charged by the security forces and also fired teargas.
In Ajas Bandipora at least two protesters were arrested by the police a few days and today residents protested against it and blocked the road in the area.
Clashes erupted between protestors and security forces in Watpora, Ashtangoo, Qazipora and Putushay villages of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Several protesters were injured after security forces fired pellets and teargas to disperse the protesters. Clashes were also reported from Papchan area of Bandipora district.
Protests erupted in Trehgam in Kupwara this afternoon and security forces fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. Five of protesters were arrested.
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