Srinagar: Government forces have sealed entire civil lines in Srinagar, to foil " Lal Chowk challo" march called by separatists today.
Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the present agitation since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag have already extended the strike in the valley from today till October 6.
The separatists in the protest calendar had given "Lal Chowk challo" today from their respective areas in vehicles and park them in the outskirts before starting march on foot.
People were also urged to offer Friday prayers on road from Batmaloo to Dalgate. However, to foil the march authorities besides imposing curfew in majority areas, including Maisuma in the civil lines, sealed all roads leading to Lal Chowk.
Hundreds of government forces remained deployed to keep a watch on the situation. The Amira Kadal bridge, leading to Lal Chowk from Hari Singh High Street (HSHS) remained closed with barbed wire.
Government forces deployed on both sides of the bridge remained deployed and people, even having curfew passes, were being directed to reach civil lines through Budshah bridge. Roads , lanes and bylanes leading to historic chowk, including Court Road, Aftab Gali, Lala Rukh, Regal Chowk, Janlat Mandi and Polo view Residency road remained closed with barbed wire.
Government forces had also closed roads with barbed wire at Barbar Shah bridge, Exchange Road, Gaw Kadal, Maisuma and Transport yard bridge to prevent people from moving towards Lal Chowk.
Road nakas were also established at Dalgate, Sonawar, Moulana Azad road and Budshah Chowk, where only those having valid identity cards and curfew passes were being allowed. To prevent any procession from Maisuma to Lal Chowk, security forces had closed main road at Budshah Chowk.
Large number of forces and state police personnel remained deployed to strictly inforce the curfew in Maisum and adjoining areas. A police jeep making announcement about imposition of curfew at Danderkhan Batmaloo came under stone pelting today. Security forces fired several rounds in the air to disperse the stone pelting demonstrators.
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