Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 14: Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley were put under strict curfew today after the killing of a man in Srinagar’s old city area in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) firing yesterday. Barring few incidents of stone pelting and protests situation across remained peaceful.
Curfew was imposed in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, Pulwama, Pampore, Awantipora, Tral, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Mattan, Kulgam and Shopian towns as authorities apprehended trouble in Kashmir valley in the aftermath of killing of a man in Srinagar.
Altaf Ahmad, a close associate of Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul and worker of ruling National Conference was killed as CRPF men fired after they came under stone pelting attack in Zoonimar area of Srinagar yesterday.
Major roads across Kashmir were blocked with steel barricades and coils of concertina razor wire to prevent any movement of vehicles and people. However, in Civil lines areas of Srinagar police deployed at the barricades allowed movement of people and vehicles who were facing emergencies.
Defying curfew, protests and clashes were reported from Hajin and Bandipora in North Kashmir where protesters pelted stones on a Police Chowki and Army Goodwill School. Police charged batons and fired tear some to disperse the protestors.
Protests and clashes were reported from Khanpora Bridge and Cement Bridge in Baramulla town during curfew. Protesters pelted stones on security forces leading to clashes. Police and CRPF fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
In Kralkhud Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara protesters who were marching on the streets were intercepted by police and CRPF leading to stone pelting and clashes. Police and CRPF fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
Stone pelting was also reported from Langate in Handwara in Kupwara district, however, the youth were chased away by police.
A police spokesman said here today that situation remained largely peaceful throughout the Kashmir valley, though there were isolated incidents of stone pelting at few places.
“Miscreants pelted stones at Kurhama, Badergund in Ganderbal and Safakadal in Srinagar. Police and security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the law and order situations. Eight police personnel were injured during these incidents”, police spokesman said.
Both the factions of the separatist Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq had called for strike today against killing of a man in Srinagar. Sensing trouble, authorities had put Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley under strict curfew.
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