Srinagar: On September 10, in major defiance of the relaxation call given by united Hurriyat from 6:00 PM, some five-six stone wielding youth appeared in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk here disallowing traders from open shops.
As prospective shoppers and traders left back for their homes, heavy stone-pelting was reported from various areas of the city with scores of vehicles being damaged and many of the motorists wounded.
Just two days later, during another similar relaxation call by separatists in the evening hours, groups of masked youth appeared right outside the residence of veteran Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani, and started pelting stones on the vehicles driving down the fortified Airport Road.
As per locals, over 200 civilian vehicles, which had come out for shopping in accordance with the relaxation call given by pro-freedom leadership were damaged and motorists wounded.
Over the past few weeks, even as people follow the protest calendar, more and more motorists continue to get targeted during relaxation hours when markets are supposed to be open and people obviously moving around.
It mainly happens close to sunset that masked youth appear on the streets to pelt stones on the people driving down the roads.
The victims generally fear it to be a deep-rooted conspiracy that innocent people are targeted and their vehicles damaged for no fault of theirs.
Masked youth emerged from nowhere taking advantage of darkness Thursday evening and started hitting motorists and those riding motorbikes on Eidgah-Hawal Road and near Islamia College, said Salim Ahmad, who works for a private airlines.
"I was returning on my scooty at around 8 PM. It was a horrible seen. A family was stuck inside a car which was being hit with lathis by these masked youth, They ignored the shrieks and pleadings of the family", he said.
Suhail Iqbal, a resident of uptown Rawalpora said, the other day while driving down Narbal highway during relaxation call given by Hurriyat, he was intercepted by a group of youth.
Apprehending trouble, Suhail stopped his vehicle. As he was planning to take a U-turn he was waved by the youth asking him to move forward. "Sensing that I was cleared I moved forward. As I reached near the crowd they rained stones at my vehicle", he said.
"A stone weighing around three kgs landed straight on me legs. Had it hit my head, I would have instantly died,” wounded Suhail said, adding, “Such protesters don’t adhere to any calendar whereas common people do.”
Citing another example, he said while going towards Florence Hospital Chanapora during relaxation period, masked youth stopped his car. “I told them I had to consult a doctor, but they didn’t listen to me. When I tried to argue with them that I had done no wrong some one shouted Ratiyone, Yehha Aasew Polsewoal, He must be a policeman, catch him". Playing smart I tactfully managed to flee from the spot than get lynched,” he added.
There are scores of people like Suhail, who feel stuck between the devil and the deep sea during the ongoing crises in Kashmir.
For the densely populated old city, or Shaher e Khaas, the problem has increased for last one week. There’s rarely a vehicle, which can drive down the roads safely in the evenings.
While there is curfew on main roads interiors are being manned by the so called vigilantes enforcing their own curfew.
A police official posted in the area blamed it on the locals.
“The moment our deployment is withdrawn in the evenings, they rain stones on their fellow citizens, how are we to be blamed?” he asked.
But some people believe that those targeting civilians are “political agents who want to bring disrepute to mass agitation,” in the Valley on the boil since July 8 when militant commander BurhanMuzafffarWani was killed.
Since then at least 86 persons have died while around 12,000 were wounded in government action against protesters.
While the Valley has initially witnessed 50 days of strict curfew, since then restrictions are intermittently enforced while the united Hurriyat has been giving its own protest programs where relaxations are mainly announced in the evening hours.
But this is exactly when the people are targeted the most.
A senior Hurriyat leader admitted that the conglomerate was in know of the matter. But the separatists are silent over the issue.
The people like Suhail and Salim, however, believe that separatists should break the silence.
“We request the Hurriyat leadership to tell us whether we should venture out of our homes or not during relaxation time,” some aggrieved citizens told Kashmir Observer.
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