A complete shutdown is being
observed across the Kashmir valley on the call given by separatist leaders in
view of the third death anniversary of the Afzal Guru. All shops, business
establishments remained closed with traffic at the minimal in the state summer
capital. The daily chores of the people of the valley were affected owing to
the non-availability of public transport.
Both factions of Hurriyat
Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and other separatist
groups have called for a complete shutdown and peaceful protests on February 9
and February 11 on the death anniversaries of Guru and JKLF founder Muhammad
Maqbool Butt, respectively. They urged people to seek the return of the mortal
remains of Guru and Butt. Para military forces and police have been deployed in
many sensitive areas to stop any kind of protests.
Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday
launched a crackdown on separatist leaders to foil the protests. A police
contingent raided JKLF office at Abi Guzar here and arrested its chief Muhammad
Yasin Malik along with three leaders including vice-chairman Mushtaq Ajmal,
zonal press in-charge Ashraf-Bin-Salam and Ghulam Muhammad Dar.
Post the arrest, Malik said JKLF
had decided to stage peaceful protest on February 10 to 'attract the attention
of world community to the denial of mortal remains of Guru and Bhat to their
family members by New Delhi.
Malik along with three other
leaders were presented before a magistrate in Srinagar and sent on a seven-day
judicial remand to Central Jail Srinagar.
Hurriyat Conference (G) spokesman
Ayaz Akbar has also said that the police placed senior leaders of the amalgam
including Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai under house arrest.
Senior pro-freedom leaders
including Shabir Ahmed Shah and Nayeem Khan have also been placed under house
arrest. Police also arrested Mass Movement Chairperson Fareeda Behanji and her
other party activists when they took out a procession from Abi Guzar.
The Srinagar administration has
announced restrictions for areas falling under five police stations.
"There will be restrictions in areas falling under Nowhatta, Khanyar,
Maharjgunj, Kralkhud, SafaKadal and Maisuma police stations on Tuesday,"
said Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmed Lone.
Afzal Guru, the December 2001
Parliament attack convict, was secretly hanged in New Delhi's Tihar Jail three
years ago.
Inputs from DNA
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