Valley shuts against braid chopping incidents
Srinagar: Following the shutdown call given by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), the district administration Srinagar on Monday imposed restrictions in Srinagar parts while the rest of the Valley observed complete shutdown to protest against the growing incidents of mysterious braid chopping.
The JRL including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Saturday called for a complete shutdown today, appealing people to protest against the ‘attack on the dignity of a woman’.
In view of the shutdown call, the restrictions under section 144 CrPC were imposed in Srinagar parts falling under the jurisdiction of seven Police Stations including Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, M R Gunj, Maisuma and Kralkhud as ‘precautionary measure’.
The authorities had deployed Police and paramilitary forces in large number on the restriction bound roads to thwart any possible protest against the braid chopping incidents.
The forces had erected concertina wires on the roads, witnesses said, adding that they were seen patrolling in the armored vehicles throughout the day.
They added that nobody was allowed to move towards the restriction bound areas.
Meanwhile, the locals at various places including Nishat, JVC Bemina and Batamaloo staged protests against the braid chopping incidents. The locals alleged that the authorities have failed to ensure safety of Kashmiris.
“It seems that something is fishy behind these incidents as the Police who arrest a militant and a stone thrower in no time is delaying the process to arrest the culprits behind braid chopping,” the local protesters said.
They demanded administration to come up with the results over such incidents at an earliest.
During the protest at Batamaloo, the Police used tear smokes hells to disperse the protesters mostly women who had taken to streets, protesting against the mysterious braid chopping incidents.
Witnesses said that police resorted to teargas shelling and cane-charge to disperse the protesters in Batmaloo area today.
They said that protesters, mostly women, were heading towards the main Chowk Batmaloo when Police resorted to teargas shelling and cane-charge to disperse them.
Meanwhile, all the shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and other business establishments remained closed in the Valley while the traffic was also thin on the roads.
Sources said that the government offices also witnessed a less attendance of the employees.
The mysterious braid chopping incidents continued in the Valley from the past four weeks while the Police have formed an SIT to investigate the matter.
On Sunday, the Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid according to reports had said that there has been no breakthrough so far into this mysterious braid chopping incidents.
“I am also looking for Jaadu ki chadi (Magical stick),” he had also said.
The government had said that the measures have been taken to nab the culprits behind the acts while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a coalition partner has termed these incidents as ‘disorder’, saying that nobody would be behind these acts.
The opposition mainstream parties have also castigated the ruling regime for failing to nab the culprits while the pro-freedom camp has termed such incidents as a ‘ploy’ aimed to divert the attention of Kashmiris from the freedom struggle.
KV Correspondent
