Kashmir shuts on Burhan Wani’s anniversary

Clashes erupted in different parts of Kashmir leaving people injured while a complete shutdown was observed on the first death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant commander, Burhan Muzafar Wani.

Ten persons, including eight women, were injured after government forces fired pellets to break up a demonstration in Shopian town in south Kashmir here. 

According to the eyewitnesses government forces raided a locality in the town to stop the songs eulogizing slain militant commander, Burhan Muzafar Wani, being played on the public address system inside a mosque.

The enraged people including some women protested to stop the forces from entering the mosque. In retaliation the forces fired pellets at the protesters, resulting into injuries to at least 10 people.  A woman who was hit by pellets was shifted to Srinagar for specialized treatment.

Authorities had also clamped restrictions and curfew in parts of Kashmir to prevent the protests while a complete shutdown was observed across Kashmir today. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength across Kashmir to handle” any security challenges.’’

Authorities had imposed curfew in  Tral, the native town of Wani, as a precautionary measure to maintain peace in the Valley, a senior police official said.

The joint resistance leadership as well as the Hurriyat Conference factions led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik-led Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) had asked the people to march to Tral to pay tributes to Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on this day in 2016.

Also curfew was imposed in Sophian town of South Kashmir and Trehgam in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Elsewhere in the Valley especially in the old city areas restrictions on the movement of people were being strictly enforced.

Due to the strike call given by the Hurriyat leadership, all the examinations scheduled today by the Universities were  postponed.  Due to the strike normal life came to a standstill and the curfew-like restrictions imposed by the authorities.

Shops and business establishments remained closed while vehicles were off the roads, an official said, adding that “the situation was peaceful so far.’’

As per reports Army also conducted a flag march in at least two areas of Pulwama district to prevent pro-Burhan rallies and protests. Army men marched through the streets in Tahab and Pichul areas of the district to prevent protests on the death anniversary of slain HM commander. The march was conducted even as strict curfew was imposed by police and paramilitary forces in the area.

 

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