Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Police today foiled separatist protest march to the office of United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Srinagar by imposing curfew-like restrictions in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir and arrested 56 persons on charges of stone pelting and creating disturbance.
Police and paramilitary security forces sealed all the roads leading to UNMOGIP office at Sonwar area of Srinagar with razor wires and erected barricades. The security forces strictly imposed the restrictions in Lal Chowk, Sonwar and Old City areas to foil the march.
Meanwhile, for the 13th consecutive Friday, no prayers were held at historic Jama Masjid in Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar due to curfew in the area. Security forces deployed at Nowhatta and in adjoining areas didn’t allow locals to offer prayers in the Central Masjid.
Clashes erupted at dozens of places in Kashmir during which security forces fired teargas, pepper gas and pellets to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to scores of protesters.
A 12 year old boy, Junaid Ahmad, was critically injured as security forces fired pellets on him at Saidapora in Eidgah area of Srinagar during protests. The injured boy was rushed to SKIMS Soura.
Protests and clashes were reported from Barzulla, Rawalpora, Chanapora and Safakadal areas of Srinagar after Friday prayers. Scores of protesters were injured in clashes with security forces at these places. A protester was hit by a teargas on his head at Chanapora.
The restrictions were also imposed in other major towns of Central, South and North Kashmir. As per reports, the protests after Friday prayers also erupted in all other districts of Valley.
Clashes between protesters and security forces were reported from Hajin, Bandipora, Palhallan, Hanjewara Pattan, Sopore, Tahab, Kakapora Pulwama, Arihal Rohmoo, Pulwama town, Sallar Pahalgam, Beerwah and Kulgam. Several persons were injured in these clashes.
A police spokesman said here that in view of the UN march call given by some separatist organizations and also the violence resorted to by miscreants on last few Fridays, curfew was imposed in few police station areas of Srinagar city as a precautionary measure, today.
The statement said that during the day, 11 incidents of stone pelting were reported from Srinagar, Baramulla and Sopore. The situation remained under control and there was no report of any untoward incident.
The statement said that continuing with its efforts to neutralize the activities of the miscreants and hooligans, 56 persons found involved in different crimes of creating public disorder have been arrested during the last 24 hours.
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