Kashmir region Saturday observed a shutdown on the hanging anniversary of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder leader– Muhammad Maqbool Bhat – while light restrictions remained in force in Old City for the third consecutive day.
Maqbool Bhat, a resident of frontier district of Kupwara, was hanged and buried by government of India on February 11, 1984, in Tihar jail of New Delhi. The call for shutdown was given by all leading pro-freedom leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.
Hundreds of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personal in riot gear and armed with assault rifles were deployed across the Old City areas falling under five police station including Khanyar, Safakadal, Maharaj Gunj, Nowhatta and Khanyar. Witnesses said the forces imposed minor curbs in the Old City to contain protests.
In summer capital Srinagar, almost all the shops, commercial establishments and petrol pumps were closed in the Civil Lines areas of the City. The government offices and banks recorded low attendance while schools and colleges were already closed on the account of vacation holidays. However, fewer public and vehicles private plied in uptown areas of the City.
The police had also deployed its men in volatile Maisuma and Gaw Kadal localities of the City. Reports reaching here said that violent clashes erupted in several localities of downtown this evening. A prayer meeting was also held at Trehgam – the native village of Maqbool Bhat – by his family members and other people in Kupwara district.
Reports of shutdown were received from all the districts of valley on Maqbool Bhat’s hanging anniversary. Meanwhile, clashes erupted at Bandipora while some persons pelted stones on vehicles at Kangan to enforce shutdown. However they were chased away by the police.(GNS)