Srinagar, August 31
After a few days of relative calm, the situation turned restive today as people took to the streets at several places protesting among other things the accord between the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti and four-member panel appointed by Governor N.N. Vohra.
The state government’s decision to allow temporary use of the controversial Baltal land by the Amarnath Shrine Board didn’t go well with protesters, also demanding release of separatist leaders and youths, and clashes between protesters and security personnel erupted in the downtown here, Baramulla and Kupwara.
The ever-sensitive downtown in Srinagar saw scores of youths taking to roads as soon as curfew was relaxed at 9 am. Protesters attacked security personnel with stones in Rajouri Kadal, Nawab Bazae, Habba Kadal and nearby densely-populated localities. Security men lathicharged and used tear gas shells to disperse mobs. The authorities ended the relaxation immediately in these areas and re-imposed curfew.
Youths demanded release of Hurriyat (moderate) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other arrested leaders. An official spokesman said they could lift curfew for the day from tomorrow from parts of Kashmir if no untoward incident happens.
Curfew was relaxed in Srinagar
from 9 am and authorities first extended it till 1 pm, then again to 3 pm and extended it further in those parts where situation remained normal. However, there was no relaxation in Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag.
Curfew was clamped in all 10 districts of Kashmir on August 24, a day before the separatists’ rally to Lal Chowk. At least six persons were killed in initial three days, but things have been largely peaceful in the last few days.
The Hurriyat-led coordination committee, spearheading the agitation in the valley, has called for a strike tomorrow against the repressive government policies and asked traders to shut their shops after 4 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
UNI adds: The committee has rejected the agreement on the Amarnath land issue between the samiti and the government. “Though the Amarnath land row was not an issue before the committee and our main goal was freedom, we outrightly reject the agreement between some people in Jammu,” a press release issued by the committee, after a day-long meeting held at the Hurriyat Conference (HC) headquarter under Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, said this evening.
It appealed people to continue peaceful protest demonstrations tomorrow in the Kashmir valley. However, vehicles would continue to ply on all routs till 5 pm, the release said. Programme for Friday will be announced later, it added.
