Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 11: Even as the normalcy returned to Kashmir valley after weeks of unrest, Police have launched a major crackdown against stone pelters to prevent a 2010 type summer unrest in the Valley.
A police spokesman said here that Police arrested 338 people in past one month in Kashmir valley since Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru was executed in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail. He said out of these arrested people 242 have been released on bail and 96 are in police and judicial custody.
The spokesman said that in South Kashmir police districts of Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Awantipora and Anantnag 73 persons were arrested out of which 52 have been bailed out while 21 are in custody.
“In the North Kashmir police districts of Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Handwara and Bandipora, 158 persons were detained out of which 130 persons have been released only 28 are in custody”, the spokesman added.
He said that in the Central Kashmir districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam 107 persons were arrested out of which 60 have been released and 47 are under custody.
According to figures provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, 3500, 2000 and 700 youth were arrested on charges of stone pelting in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively and 1155, 89 and 100 FIRs were registered against them. However, Government granted amnesty to 1811 youth who were arrested on charges of stone pelting in 230 cases.
A senior police officer said here that more arrests are likely across Kashmir valley to prevent any further protests and stone pelting incidents. He said that police is working on a strategy formed by the Government to prevent 2010 like summer unrest in which around 110 people were killed and hundreds were injured.
The Police officer said that police are concerned about the recent stone pelting incidents in the areas that were not affected by 2010 unrest. He said that one of the major concerns is that large number of tourist vehicles were damaged and tourists beaten up by stone pelters in Narbal, Mazhama and Kunzar area on Srinagar-Gulmarg road.
The officer said that core group meeting held last week has decided that 2010 like summer unrest should not be repeated and police and administration has worked out a strategy to prevent it. He said that major focus is to use non-lethal methods of controlling protests in Kashmir valley and strategy has been devised to prevent protests from breaking out at first place.
In meantime, the chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, has strongly denounced the Government crackdown on youth and its leaders and activists.
Mirwaiz said the Government is using force against protesters and has launched a large scale crackdown including nocturnal raids against youth in Srinagar and across Kashmiris.
Mirwaiz has, however, asked people to keep an eye on miscreants who are harassing tourists during protests and strikes.
Meantime, normalcy today returned in North Kashmir that was worst affected by the month long protests and strikes and curfews. Schools this morning re-opened in Kashmir valley after a gap of 3 months winter break.
Shops, business establishments re-opened today in North Kashmir towns of Baramulla and Sopore after 8 days. These two towns remained worst hit during in month long unrest in Kashmir valley. Normalcy returned to Srinagar on Saturday and in South Kashmir on Sunday after week long protests, shutdowns and curfew.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, G A Khwaja yesterday held a meeting with the senior residents of the Baramulla town and sought their cooperation in restoring normalcy in the township.
However, shopkeepers this afternoon held a sit in protested in Gojwara Chowk in old city area of Srinagar against arrest of one of the shopkeepers, Asif Qazi, in a nocturnal raid by police. The shops in the area also remained closed against his arrest and youth also pelted stones on police but situation was brought under control.
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