Srinagar: Amid restrictions in parts of Srinagar city, authorities on Friday didn’t allow Hurriyat (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq to address Friday congregational prayers at historic Jamia Masjid here in Srinagar and placed him under house arrest at his Nigeen based residence.
Authorities disallowed congregational Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid. All gates of Jamia Masjid were locked by government forces while all roads leading to the historic mosque were blocked with concertina wires.
Pertinently, Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest on last Friday (Juma-tul-vida) as well and he was not even allowed to deliver his sermon on Eid. Other separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani and Shabir Ahmed Shah continue to be under house detention while Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has been detained in Srinagar Central Jail.
Conglomerate of local militant outfits United Jehad Council as well as joint resistance leadership including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik have called for anti-US protest against the American State Department action to declare Kashmiri leader Syed Salahudin a ‘global terrorist’.
Meanwhile, authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city to stop possible pro-freedom protests. “The restrictions were imposed in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of five police stations-Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj and Safa Kadal,” said an official from District administration Srinagar.
Reports said that normal life was disrupted in these areas due to restrictions. Large contingent of police and Para-military troopers had been deployed across Srinagar city while in restive places, barbed wires have been placed on roads to restrict the movement of people and vehicles.
Youth clashed with police and paramilitary forces in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday. Reports said that youth assembled outside the Jamia Masjid after congregational weekly prayers and staged a protest against the US action on Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. Forces deployed in the area resorted to tear smoke shelling as soon as the protesters tried to march towards the main Bazar. The protesters retaliated by hurling stones, triggering clashes.
Stone-pelting incidents were also reported from Nowhatta and Safakadal areas of old Srinagar city while agitated youth also staged protest and pelted stones on government forces at Bellow Rajpora area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
A police official said that the day passed peacefully and no reports of any protests or clashes was reported from any part of the Valley.
