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| Curfew, restrictions in Srinagar city, debris of revered shrine removed late last night | | Grand Mufti calls for Khanyar Challo on Friday | |
Bashir Assad
Srinagar, June 26: All routes leading to the shrine of Peer Dast-geer Sahib were sealed today by Police and heavy security measures were put in place to avoid any eventuality. Meanwhile, valley observed a complete shutdown today to mourn the gutting of the 220 year old shrine.
Foolproof security arrangements were put in place by the government today, while curfew was declared in areas following under police stations of Khanyar and Maharajgung while as undeclared curfew was imposed curfew in areas under the jurisdiction of Nowhatta, Rainawari, Safakadal and Maisuma police stations to avoid any eventuality. Police, however, denied having imposed anywhere in the city. "only restrictions were put in place to thwart any untoward incident in the aftermath of the shutdown call given by separatists and supported by various religious organizations" a senior police official told Early Times. Vehicular traffic on roads leading to Dastgeer Sahib Khanyar was out of gear due to curfew like situations, even pedestrians were not allowed to cross the nakas raised in Khayam Chowk, Sathu Barbar Shah, Rainawari Chowk, Nowhatta Chowk and Baba Demb chowk encircling the Khanyar shrine place from all directions. Barbed wire was raised at these places and heavy contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF deployed at these nakas were maintaining vigil throughout the day.
Earlier, in the morning, angry crowds took to the streets and clashed with police at Khanyar and its adjacent areas which were immediately placed under curfew . People were protesting against the failure of the authorities the other day to cope with the situation effectively as most of the fire tenders arrived at the scene initially were without carrying water to douse the flames, witnesses said. Also, no fire safety arrangement was apparently in place.
Meanwhile, agitated youth, sources said, were playing hide and seek with the police in Khanyar area as youth made several attempts to took to the streets, however, police chased them away in narrow streets through out the day.
Even scribes were not being allowed to visit the spot. This correspondent was not allowed to move forward at places like Barbar Shah and Khayam Chowk.
Meanwhile, the debris of the gutted shrine was removed from the site late last night and the area around the gutted shrine was cleared by Srinagar Municipal Corporation, sources said.
They said that protests were going on near the shrine last night till 11 o clock, however, when there was uneasy calm, men and machinery swung into action to clear the debris at 1 o clock and everybody in the locality was taken by surprise when in the morning today they saw the shrine place and oils surroundings completely cleared and the debris removed and taken to some unknown place.
"when I woke up in the morning at 5, the area was completely cleared as if nothing had happened" Shawkat Hafiz, a local told Early Times. Government sources confirmed that men and machinery were swung into action late last night to remove the debris from the site and taken to a safe but clean place.
Meanwhile, complete shutdown was observed across the length and breadth of the state to mourn the gutting of the historical and most revered shrine of Dastgeer Sahib which gutted in a devastating fire on Monday. Normal life across the Kashmir Valley came to a standstill today due to a shutdown called by separatists and restrictions imposed by the authorities.
Shops, business establishments, banks and schools remained closed while traffic was off the roads. Attendance in government offices was very thin. Authorities diverted the tourist vehicles coming from Jammu at Panthachowk towards by-pass to avoid any eventuality.
It was for the first time since September 2010, that a complete shutdown was observed across the valley due to which life remained completely suspended. Incidents of stone pelting by youth on police and CRPF personnel were reported from many places like Drangabal Pampore, Bemina in city outskirts, Dooru in South Kashmir's Anantnag district and from isolated places in North Kashmir.
It merits a mention here that the shrine stood in Khanyar locality in memory of Abdul-Qadir al-Jeelani, the 11th century Persian Islamic preacher who is buried in Baghdad, Iraq, but is highly esteemed by Sunni scholars all over the world and held in great veneration by the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. The saint is also known among followers in India and Pakistan as Ghaus-ul-Azam Dastgeer.
Meanwhile, the Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Mufti Bashiruddin, has called for Khanyar chalo on Friday.
"I urge people to reach Khanyar on Friday to offer congregational prayers," Muti Bashiruddin said in a statement.
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