Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 22: A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Minister was stranded for half an hour after protesters attacked his cavalcade with stones in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district today.
Sources said that protesters pelted stones at the cavalcade of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Haq Khan, at Saderkoot Bala while he was on his way to Srinagar after convening an official meeting at Banidpora.
Police and paramilitary security forces fired teargas to disperse the protesters. Later, with the help of Army his cavalcade was able to pass through the area.
Police today imposed curfew like restrictions in Maisuma area of Srinagar after protests broke out in the area. Police used force to quell the protest and imposed restrictions in the area.
The protesters were demanding medical aid for Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik who is lodged in Jail. Malik was, however, shifted to SKIMS hospital for treatment.
Security forces this morning fired teargas to chase away protesters in Heff village of Shopian in South Kashmir. After teargas failed to foil protests, the security forces fired in air to disperse them.
Earlier, security forces cordoned of Heff village and launched house-to-house search, to arrest youths believed to be leading or taking part in protests.
However, people took to streets after announcements were made through public address systems of the Masjids urging people to come out.
Unidentified persons last night set ablaze a school building in Bugam village of Kulgam district of South Kashmir. Police have registered a case and started the investigations.
Police said that masked men tried to torch the Government Higher Secondary School Bugam few days back but the school guard sounded an alarm following which the miscreants fled.
In the meantime, curfew was today lifted from six police station areas of Srinagar city but normal life remained affected in Kashmir for the 106th consecutive day due to the separatist-sponsored strike. Curfew was imposed yesterday in six police station areas of the city.
Police said the situation in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley was under control, even as a youth died during clashes between protestors and forces in Budgam district of central Kashmir yesterday.
Security forces were deployed in strength at vulnerable spots and along the main roads as a precautionary measure in Srinagar city.
Shops and business establishments remained shut in the Valley, but opened in the evening. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions continued to remain shut in Kashmir for 105th day today.
In the meantime, a group of people today protested in Anantnag against the continued strike by separatists. They said that their lives are getting badly affected and demanded end to shutdown in Kashmir.
According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, situation remained normal and peaceful across the Valley today.
“There was good movement of traffic and people in Srinagar and other main towns of the Valley. Shops were seen open and doing their normal business in many parts of the Valley including Srinagar City,” the statement said.
The statement said that in order to instill confidence among the commuters and vehicle owners adequate deployment of police and security forces was made at vulnerable points in Srinagar city, in main towns as also on the road, lanes and bylanes connecting different places.
Police said that last evening, driver of a Tempo Farooq Ahmad Khanday resident of Iqbal Colony-A Eidgah reported in police station Safakadal, Srinagar that some miscreants hurled a petrol bomb upon his vehicle bearing registration number JK01V/4980, which was parked outside his house. This resulted in damage to the vehicle. “A case FIR number 137/16 was registered and investigation was taken up”, the statement said.
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