news details |
|
|
| Life comes to standstill in downtown Srinagar as authorities impose curfew | | Ashura processions foiled in city centre, mourners arrested | |  Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Nov 15: Police used force and arrested scores of Shia mourners near the Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar) in the summer capital of the state while foiling their procession on the occasion of Ashura (10th day of Muharram) being carried out in the city centre.
Meanwhile, authorities imposed severe restrictions in the areas of downtown Srinagar in order to ensure incident free Ashura processions across the city today. Life got paralyzed in dozens of areas of downtown Srinagar with people forced to remain indoors. In the uptown, restrictions were imposed in the Abi Guzar area falling just few metres away from Lal Chowk, the city centre.
In the civil lines area, although, there were no restrictions the life came to a standstill with very few people moving around in otherwise busy areas of Srinagar city. Some of the private vehicles were seen plying on the roads while as the shops and commercial establishments remained closed. Due to enforcement of severe restrictions in downtown Srinagar the public transport was off the roads.
Since early morning, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel could be seen dotting the main roads in the downtown areas of Srinagar. Both the police and CRPF personnel wearing riot gear enforced restrictions asking people to remain indoors. Although, the authorities had said restrictions would be imposed situation on the ground suggested that curfew has been imposed.
Police and CRPF personnel also sealed the lanes and by-lanes in the downtown areas while ensuring that people are kept hostage. Due to the enforcement of restrictions through siege and erection of concertina wires people could not move out. They faced tremendous difficulties in getting the daily essentials of life. Right from Khayam Chowk, authorities imposed curfew and these were carried all along the route upto Hawal Chowk.
Authorities placed chairman, moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest at his residence in Nigeen. As such Mirwaiz could not deliver his Friday sermon at the historic Jamia Masjid. Infact, no Friday prayers were allowed by the authorities at the Jamia Masjid. Similar reports of curbs on offering of Friday prayers have also come from other parts of downtown Srinagar.
In the morning scores of Shia mourners led by Aga Syed Mujtaba, son of Shia leader, Aga Syed Hassan Budgami assembled at the Ghanta Ghar and tried to carry out the Ashura procession. However, the procession was stopped by the police personnel and the mourners were arrested and shifted to the nearby police station at Kothi Bagh. Later in the day, a small procession led by Imtiyaz Haider was also foiled by police with the mourners being arrested by the police.
In the uptown Abi Guzar locality of summer capital, police and CRPF personnel laid a siege so as to keep the Shia mourners at bay from taking out the procession. Over the past 25 years the authorities are not allowing the people to carry out Ashura procession from Abi Guzar to Zadibal.
Meanwhile, Ashura processions were carried out in different areas of the Kashmir valley. In the Srinagar city the main Ashura procession started from Bota Kadal area and culminated at Zadibal Imam Bara. In the Budgam district the prominent procession started from Mirgund Chowk and culminated at Imam Bara, Budgam. Ashura processions were carried out at Sofipora-Pahalgam, Chattergam and other areas of Kashmir valley. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
