SRINAGAR, Feb 11: Kashmir valley today observed shutdown on the 31st anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat who was hanged in Tihar Jail in 1984.
Restrictions continued for the third consecutive day in old city areas of Srinagar and police foiled the JKLF march to United Nations Military Observers Group office in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Srinagar.
Bhat, a resident of frontier district of Kupwara, was hanged and buried in New Delhi’s Tihar jail.
Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF leader Mohammad Yasin Malik had called for strike on the occasion of Bhat’s anniversary.
Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in riot gear and armed with assault rifles were deployed across the old City areas falling under five police stations including Khanyar, Safakadal, Maharaj Gunj, Nowhatta and Kralkhud.
In Srinagar, almost all the shops, commercial establishments and petrol pumps were closed in the Civil Line areas of the City. The Government offices and banks recorded low attendance. However, few public and private vehicles plied in uptown areas of the City.
The police had deployed its men in volatile Maisuma and Gaw Kadal localities of the City. Scores of JKLF activists led by vice-president, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, took out a march from JKLF headquarters in Maisuma.
The protesters tried to march towards Budshah Chowk but police and paramilitary personnel had erected concertina wire to thwart the JKLF march. Police detained several JKLF activists and foiled their march.
This was followed by stone pelting on police leading to clashes. Police chased away the protesters and situation returned to normal later.
A peaceful pro-freedom protest was also held at Trehgam – the native village of Maqbool Bhat – by his family members and other people in Kupwara district.
Clashes also broke out in Palhalan village for the third straight day. The protesters, pelted stones on police and paramilitary CRPF deployed in the area. The police resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the protesters. The intermittent clashes continued in the area throughout the day.
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