Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 20: Moderate separatist leader and chairman Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, today led a large rally on the eve of his father’s assassination anniversary here in Old City after Friday prayers.
Soon after Friday prayers were over, Mirwaiz took out a rally from historical Jamia Masjid here in Nowhatta which was attended by large number of people and his party workers.
The rally was taken out in memory of Mirwaiz’s father, Molvi Mohammad Farooq, who was assassinated in his house on May 21, 1990 here. The rally passed through Gojwara, Islamia College and concluded at Hawal where Mirwaiz attended the flag raising ceremony of his party and paid respects to his father and other people killed on May 21, 1990. Though the rally remained peaceful but some youths waved flags of Islamic State and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Shortly after the conclusion of rally, hundreds of youths resorted to heavy stone-pelting on security forces at Saraf Kadal ensuing clashes between the two sides. The police retaliated by firing dozens of teargas shells and pepper grenades but the stone-throwers re-grouped and continued throwing stones. The clashes continued till late hours.
Mirwaiz has called for Eidgah march and rally tomorrow to commemorate his father’s assassination anniversary and also the death anniversary of former Hurriyat leader and Peoples’ Conference founder, Abdul Gani Lone, who was killed by gun men on May 21, 2002 during one such commemoration rally. The authorities, however, are unlikely to allow the rally at Eidgah.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone said the areas falling under five police stations of old city will be put under strict restrictions tomorrow.
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