Curfew back in SeK, downtown in Srinagar to foil 'Jamia chalo'

Srinagar: Curfew is back in the Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) and downtown in the summer capital, Srinagar, to foil 'Jamia Masjid chalo' called by separatists and hold “ Freedom Congregation” after Friday prayers. There was no change in the situation in and around the historic Jamia Masjid, where main gates remained closed and no Friday prayers could be offered since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) 'commander' Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag.

Subsequent violence left 86 people, mostly youths, dead and several thousand wounded in security force and police action in the Valley, where life remained crippled due to strike. Police said curfew has been imposed in the downtown and SeK areas since early this morning to prevent any law and order problem. However, in other parts of the summer capital, Srinagar, deployment of security forces would also continue to maintain peace.

Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the agitation since July 9, have already extended the strike till November 17 and asked people to march towards Jamia masjid today. Chairmen of both the factions of the HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq remained under house arrest while JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik was arrested yesterday to prevent them from leading march to Jamia Masjid. Since July 9, for the first time there was no curfew on last Friday though no prayers could be offered in the Jamia Masjid due to closure of main gates of the historic worship place.

A UNI correspondent, who visited a number of SeK and downtown, saw main roads again closed with barbed wire and security forces directed people to remain indoor. The entire Nallahmar road from Cement bridge Chattabal to Khanyar had been closed for any movement by security forces and state police personnel deployed to implement curfew restrictions. At several places road had been closed with barbed wire and by parking bullet proof vehicles in the middle, including at Rajouri Kadal, Nawa Kadal and Safa Kadal. People living on both sides of the Nallahmar road alleged that they were not being allowed to move out of their houses since early this morning by the security forces deployed in large numbers to prevent people from moving out.

Though no Friday prayers could be offered for the past 17 consecutive weeks because of heavy deployment, additional security forces had been deployed to foil 'Jamia Chalo' call today. All roads leading to historic worship place had been closed and nobody was being allowed to go towards the Masjid by the security forces. Main gates of the Masjid remained closed and security forces deployed in and around the complex, including Jamia market. Security forces and state police personnel remained deployed elsewhere in the summer capital, where life remained crippled due to strike. (UNI)