Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 10: After Srinagar and central Kashmir, normalcy today returned in South Kashmir while normal life remained disrupted in parts of North Kashmir as authorities imposed restrictions on the movement of people and traffic following widespread clashes during past two days.
Police today put Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik under house arrest. Police whisked away the JKLF leader from Srinagar airport as he arrived from New Delhi and straight away took him to his residence in Maisuma, Srinagar. Hardline Huriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani who arrived in Srinagar few days back from New Delhi was also put under house arrest. Mirwaiz Omar Farooq continued to be under house arrest for past two weeks.
The newly formed separatists’ body of Majlis Mushawarat today called for strike on Wednesday and asked people to hold protests in favour of return of body of Afzal Guru, Parliament attack convict who was executed last month and against the killing of a youth in Baramulla and mysterious death of a Kashmiri youth in Hyderabad.
Apprehending trouble in parts of North Kashmir, authorities today put restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles in Baramulla and Sopore towns. The two towns saw worst clashes for past one week after the killing of a youth in Baramulla town in army firing. Police had blocked the roads and lanes with concertina razor wire in both the towns so as to prevent stone pelting and clashes.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, G A Khwaja told Excelsior that restrictions were imposed in Sopore and Baramulla towns today under section 144 RPC to prevent protests and stone pelting. He said that no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the two towns during the restrictions.
Khwaja said that today he held a meeting with the Civil Society and senior citizens of various localities of Baramulla town and after their assurances for cooperation with administration it was decided that there will be no restrictions in Baramulla and Sopore tomorrow.
The undeclared curfew like restrictions was also imposed in Seelu, Sangrama, Palhalan and Pattan in Baramulla district and Lalpora and Lolab in Kupwara district of North Kashmir. The restrictions in Sangrama, Palhalan and Pattan were imposed to allow free movement of traffic on Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway as yesterday traffic remained disrupted on it due to protests at various places.
Meanwhile, in fresh police raids around 30 people were arrested from various parts of Kashmir valley for fomenting trouble. In Seelu Sopore four persons were arrested in nocturnal raids on charges on stone pelting. Two of them have been identified as Mudasir Ahmad and Jehagir Ahmad.
In Palhalan Pattan in district Baramulla, protesters clashed with police in the morning but they were chased away by police and CRPF. They were protesting against the recent arrests in the area.
In North Kashmir’s Handwara town, police arrested around half a dozen youth in nocturnal raids on charges of stone pelting. Scores of people including women protested against these arrests in front of Police Station Handwara. Police charged batons on these protesters to disperse them.
Police arrested around 18 youth from Larpora Lolab in district Kupwara for fomenting trouble in the area. Authorities imposed curfew like restrictions in the area to prevent protests.
Kunzar in Tangmarag area of district Baramulla and Khudwani and Qaimoo in South Kashmir district of Kulgam observed shut down against the arrest of youth in these areas. Shops and business establishments remained closed in protest against the arrests in these three areas.
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