Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 1: The District Magistrate Srinagar this evening imposed indefinite curfew in parts of Srinagar following fresh sectarian clashes after curfew that was imposed 3 days ago was lifted this morning.
District Magistrate Srinagar, Baseer Khan, told Excelsior that in order to avoid law and problems, breach of peace and to prevent damage to life and property curfew was imposed in Nowhatta, Zadibal and Urdu Bazar police stations of the old city.
Although there was no official world about lifting of curfew from Nowhatta, MR Gunj, Safakadal, Khanyar, Rainawari, Nigeen, Lal Bazaar, Zadibal and Parimpora police station areas of Srinagar but normalcy returned to city this morning after curfew was lifted.
Normal life resumed in all parts of the city with schools, colleges, shops, offices and business establishments opening after three days. The traffic was also plying normally in the entire city.
However, shopkeepers of the majority sect in Hawal area of Srinagar whose shops were damaged by a mob of minority sect on Wednesday observed shut down in protest and demanded compensation from the minority sect.
In the meantime, reports said a group of youth from the minority sect appeared in the Hawal area and again started targeting the shops and damaged two TATA Sumo vehicles leading to sectarian clashes.
They alleged that a large group of youth of the majority sect had attacked their houses during the night and in retaliation they targeted the shops and vehicles in the morning.
Police immediately rushed to the spot and chased away the mob and fired pepper guns. They also imposed curfew like restrictions in Zadibal and Alamgari Bazar and other areas to prevent clashes.
The majority sect youth also came out in Gojwara and Hawal area of the old city and were trying to enter Zadibal and other areas but police prevented them. After feeling trouble, restrictions were also imposed in Hawal and Gojwara areas of the city.
After reports that some of the vested interested people are trying to flare up the sectarian clashes, authorities re-imposed curfew in parts of Srinagar while in other sensitive areas there is heavy deployment of police and para-military CRPF.
Senior police and administrative officers are monitoring the situation and are keeping an eye on the vested interested people who are trying to disturb peace in the city.
Hawal, Gojwara and adjoining areas of old city have become flash points for sectarian violence over the past couple of years during Muharram processions.
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