Protests in Srinagar areas, Banihal against Kathua girls rape & murder, Kulgam’s civilian killings

Srinagar: Protests were on Friday held in several areas of Srinagar city and Banihal town on Srinagar-Jammu highway against Wednesday’s civilian killings in Kulgam and rape-and-murder of minor girl in Kathua.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik had called for “peaceful protests” after Friday prayers.
A protest rally was organized at Hyderpora in which large gathering of leaders and activists of the JRL participated.
Similar protests were also held at Maisuma in which Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leaders along with traders, employees, students and people from other walks of life participated.
The protesters gathered near Madeena Chowk and marched towards Budshah Chowk where they staged a peaceful protest, said a JKLF spokesman.
The protesters held a peaceful sit-in where slogans in favour of Kashmir’s freedom were raised.
A spokesman of Hurriyat (M) said that the leaders and activist of the outfit staged a protest at Lal Bazar to demonstrate against the Kulgam killings and Kathua rape-and-murder.
The protesters also denounced restrictions put in place on the occasion of Shab-e-Mehraj and barring prayers at Kashmir’s grand mosque in Srinagar.They also expressed their resentment over the caging of the resistance leadership.
Amid shutdown a massive protest demonstration was also held in Banihal town on Srinagar-Jammu highway during which protesters raised pro-freedom slogans and demanded justice for Kathua rape-and-minor victim. Effigies of two BJP ministers were also torched by the protesters.
The demonstration was held after congregational Friday prayers on the Srinagar-Jammu highway at Banihal in which the protesters raised pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans while demanding an end to innocent killings in Kashmir.
An eye witness said that scores of protesters assembled on the highway after the prayers amid a complete shutdown in the area.
Shutdown was called by religious groups against the rape-and-murder of Kathua minor and killing of four civilians in forces’ action on protesters in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday.
The protesters also torched effigies of BJP minister Choudhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga who took part in a rally organized by Hindu Ekta Manch in favour of accused in Asifa case.