Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 20: Police today foiled a proposed rally of moderate separatist Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the eve of his father’s 27th death anniversary in downtown area of summer capital here.
Since early morning, hundreds of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed in parts of downtown falling under three police station areas – Maharaj Gunj, Safakadal and Nowhatta – to thwart the scheduled rally from Jama Masjid in Nowhatta area.
The security forces enforced the restrictions throughout the day. Police said the day passed off peacefully and there was no attempt by workers of Awami Action Committee (AAC) – the party headed by Mirwaiz Umar – to take out a rally. Due to restrictions in pockets of downtown, there were traffic chaos in other Old City parts due to which people faced lots of difficulties.
Police said the restrictions shall continue tomorrow as separatists have called for a shutdown and march to Eidgah to commemorate death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Maulana Farooq Ahmad and Abdul Gani Lone who were killed by unidentified gunmen on May 21, 1990 and May 21, 2002 respectively.
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