Restrictions ‘scuttle’ JRL’s protest call in Srinagar
Jamia Masjid closed for prayers, Mirwaiz condemns
Srinagar: For the second consecutive day on Friday, authorities continued to impose strict restrictions in Srinagar areas to thwart any possible protests against the recent killings in Srinagar’s Fateh Kadal area.
The protest call was given by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik against what they termed as growing repression in Kashmir.
In wake of the protest call, the district administration imposed restrictions in several Srinagar areas falling under the jurisdiction of police stations including Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, M.R.Gunj, Safa Kadal and Maisuma.
In the wee hours of the morning, the roads, lanes and by-lanes of restriction bound areas witnessed a huge presence of police and paramilitary troopers who had also erected temporary barricades on the roads, thus halting the vehicular as well as pedestrian movement in the areas.
Besides, the class works in all the higher secondary schools and colleges also remained suspended today as ‘a precautionary measure’.
On Thursday evening, the district administration Srinagar had ordered closure of all higher secondary schools and colleges for the day.
Meanwhile, authorities continued to disallow the Friday congregational prayers for the second consecutive week at the historic Jamia Masjid in Old city area of Srinagar.
All the four gates of the historic Masjid remained closed, witnesses said.
Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman and Jamia Masjid’s head cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also remained under house arrest and was not allowed to address the congregational prayers at the grand Masjid.
Mirwaiz in a tweet said that the people here were made hostages in their homes by imposing curfew.
“2nd consecutive Juma &15th of the year when Friday prayers barred at #JamaMasjid. Strict curfew imposed, people made hostages in their own homes in #ShahreKhas. No peaceful expression of protest against atrocities &injustices allowed, No law in the land except the law of #StateMight,” Mirwaiz tweeted.
Meanwhile, JRL leaders and activists staged a protest demonstration in Maisuma area of Srinagar city against the killings.
Scores of JRL activists and leaders holding placards assembled at Maisuma soon after the Friday congregational prayers ended in the nearby Masjid.
The protesting pro-freedom leaders chanted slogans against the civilian killings and what they termed as ‘growing repression’ in Kashmir.
KV News
