Curfew Continues For 14th Day in Shopian
SRINAGAR: Police Friday foiled the Shopian March called by Hurriyat Conference (M) leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq by detaining most of the Hurriyat leaders and functionaries during nocturnal raids.
All the entry and exit points leading towards Shopian were sealed. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was not allowed to venture out of his Nigeen residence while some of Hurriyat (M) second wrung leaders were detained by police during nocturnal raids.
Police raided the office of Awami Majlis Amal located in the historical Mirwaiz Manzil and sealed it. However, separatist leader Javid Ahmed Mir was able to reach Shopian where he led a procession soon after Friday prayers.
Meanwhile small procession were taken out following Friday prayers in different places in the Valley.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for Shopian Chalo while Hurriyat (G) Chairman Syed Ali Geelani had called on people to register their protest against Shopian killings after Friday prayers.
In a bid to foil the Shopian March large contingent of police and para-military soldiers were deployed in old city while police had sealed the Nowhatta area. However, scores of Hurriyat (M) activists assembled outside Jamia Masjid and tried to take out a march. The activists, carrying banners and placards, raised pro-freedom slogans.
As the procession reached near Khanyar, police stopped it and did not allow it to proceed further. People who were part of the procession retaliated and tried to break the police cordon. However, police charged them with canes and soon the youth resorted to heavy stone-pelting. During the ensuing clashes, several people were injured. Police used tear smoke shells to disperse the agitated youth. Soon after the eruption of clashes, all the shops and business establishments in Khanyar and its adjacent areas were shut while traffic also disappeared from the roads.
Police also swung into action in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar where scores of youth tried to take out a procession. Police lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse the procession.
During the clashes in old city two scribes, Ajaz Ahmed Khan of Press TV and Tawseef Ahmed, AFP photographer were injured who were rushed to a nearby hospital for first aid.
Amid restrictions and strict curfew, processions were taken out from many places in South Kashmirs Shopian town. A large procession was taken out from Markazi Jamia Masjid Saidpora, Shopian in which hundreds of people participated. The procession was led by Javid Ahmed Mir who had managed to reach Shopian by giving police a slip. Mir visited the house of slain youth Muhammad Rafiq and offered condolences.
Processions were also taken out from Palhalan area of Pattan and Kulgam town. Palhalan remained shut for the third consecutive day against the death of two militants in Goshbug area a few days ago.
All the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Ahmed Shah and others spent Friday under house arrest.
A police spokesman said that situation remained under control throughout Kashmir valley on Friday. Some stone pelting incidents were reported from SehPora Kulgam, Nowhatta and Khanyar in Srinagar. The deployments exercised maximum restraint. Two pressmen and three Policemen were injured in the stone pelting, while a civilian got a pellet injury.
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