Srinagar, Dec 15: Authorities on Friday foiled scheduled public rally of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) at Anantnag district by imposing restrictions in Main Town of Anantnag and in Srinagar’s old quarters while senior resistance leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was detained by police while he attempted to head towards Anantnag from his residence.
Since early morning, the police and CRPF had sealed off Anantnag Town to foil the proposed rally of the resistance leadership at Lal Chowk. Hundreds of government forces men were deployed in all areas of the Main Town of Anantnag who enforced the restrictions strictly. The roads leading to Anantnag were also sealed off by the forces. Locals told news agency GNS that the restrictions were imposed strictly and the roads wore a deserted look throughout the day.
Restrictions were also imposed in parts of Srinagar’s downtown areas including at Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Nawa Kadal and adjoining localities. Scores of police and CRPF men were deployed in these areas while Jama Masjid in Nowhatta was locked to prevent Friday prayers. The other areas of the downtown were however free from restrictions and routine activities were going on smoothly. The post-Friday situation in the Srinagar was also peaceful.
In Kadipora area of Old Anantnag Town, youth took to streets and clashed with government forces. Police used teargas shells to disperse these protesters but they offered stiff resistance and continued pelting stones on the forces. The clashes in the area continued for several hours but the situation did not spiral out of control, a police official said. In Srinagar here, police detained Mirwaiz Umar Farooq after he defied his house arrest and tried to head towards Anantnag with his associates.
However a large contingent of police stopped Mirwaiz and his associates. The police detained Mirwaiz and he was taken to SP Hazratbal’s office. Talking to media persons present outside his residence before his arrest, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq strongly condemned the present dispensations for forcibly disallowing the March call by JRL at Anantnag. “All are aware the people of south Kashmir have suffered immensely since middle of last year and continue to bear the severe brunt of occupation.
“Hundreds of people mostly our youth have been killed including those in the infamous ‘operation all out’ while even children and women are not spared. Not even once been we been allowed to visit there to reach out and sympathize and express our support for the hapless and suffering but brave people of South Kashmir,” he said.
To foil the rally, police had placed JRL leaders Syed Ali Geelani under house arrest while Yasin Malik was lodged in central jail Srinagar. The Joint Resistance Leadership has strongly denounced the ruling regime for once again resorting to use of “unbridled force” to bar the leadership and people from marching to Anantnag and convening a peaceful rally at Lal Chowk to express solidarity with the people of South Kashmir.
The JRL also said that the resistance leaders and activists who were arrested or lodged in various police stations in Srinagar, Baramulla and Islamabd include Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Aga Syed Al Hasaan Al Mosvi, Musaddiq Adil, G.N.Zaki, Mukhtar Waza, Muhammad Ashraf Laya,Engineer Hilal Ahmed War, Bilal Sidiqi, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Molvi Bashir Irfani, Muhammad Yasin Attai and Imtiyaz Haider.