JRL’s protest programme foiled, restrictions imposed
Srinagar: In view of the protest call given by the Joint resistance Leadership, the district administration on Friday imposed restrictions in several parts of Srinagar to thwart any protest against the civilian killings.
The JRL comprising of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik had called for protest against the killing of civilians, indiscriminate use of pellets and vandalizing of properties.
Reports said that the district administration in view of the protest call decided to impose restrictions in Srinagar areas falling under the jurisdiction of seven police stations on Friday.
Officials informed ‘Kashmir Vision’ that as precautionary measure, the restrictions were imposed in several areas falling under the jurisdiction of Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj and Safa Kadal Police Stations.
They informed that partial restrictions were imposed in areas falling under Maisuma and Kral Khud Police Stations.
Witnesses said that heavy contingents of Police and paramilitary troopers were deployed in restriction bound areas since the wee hours of morning while the entry and exit points of the old city were sealed by the forces by erecting concertina wires.
Besides, the mandatory congregational Friday prayers were disallowed for the third straight week at the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of Old City here, forcing people to offer Friday prayers in local Masjid’s.
Pertinently, it is for the 18th time today that the Jamia Masjid was closed for the prayers on Friday during this year.
“All the four gates of the Jamia Masjid remained closed for the fourth straight week today,” locals said.
Meanwhile, the head cleric of Jamia Masjid and Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was also placed under house detention.
Mirwaiz said that the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is breaking the record of her predecessors by disallowing Muslims from offering Friday prayers and imposing restrictions in old city.
“18th Friday of this year #JamaMasjid locked down once again by the Anti Muslim ruling regime. @MehboobaMufti following the path, rather breaking the record of her predecessors by disallowing Muslims from offering Friday prayers and imposing restrictions in #ShareKhaas!,” he wrote on twitter.
Separatist JKLF also condemned the government’s action.
“Early morning, the police raided the house of Muhammad Yasin Malik and detained him ahead of JRL’s protest call,” a spokesman said.
The JKLF chief as per the amalgam spokesman was shifted to Srinagar’s central jail soon after being detained from his house.
Later in the afternoon, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation front (JKLF) activists and leaders protested on JRL’s call at Lal Chowk.
Holding placards, the protesters condemned the civilian killings, saying that the people of Kashmir will never tolerate this killing spree.
“These atrocities are being committed to suppress Kashmiri voices but the oppressors while committing these inhuman acts are forgetting the historical fact that freedom movements of nations never get suppressed by these kinds of tyrannies,” they said.
The Langate lawmaker, Engineer Abdul Rasheed also carried out a protest rally at Handwara to protest against the civilian killings.
However, the police deployed at main Handwara Chowk disallowed him to move onwards and detained him.
Meanwhile, reports said that the train services which resumed on Thursday after two days, was again suspended on Friday for ‘security reasons’ in the Valley.
“We have again suspended the train services in the Valley for security reasons,” a railway official said.
KV Correspondent
