Srinagar: Police on Tuesday filed a case against unknown people under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for giving shutdown calls on July 8 and July 13.
June 8 marks the fourth anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani who was killed in a gunfight with government forces in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016. His killing triggered months-long protests and shutdowns in which nearly 90 civilians were killed and thousands injured with pellets, bullets and teargas shells. July 13 is marked as Martyrs day for paying tributes to the protestors who fell to the bullets of forces of Dogra ruler Hari Singh in 1931.
A police statement said that a poster is being circulated to mislead the general masses so as to cause “fear and alarm and incite the miscreants to commit offences”.
“These posters and fake statements are being circulated at different places and uploaded on different social media to glorify killed militants, “it added.
“Some miscreants are forwarding such malicious and fake propaganda from across the border and within the UT through various social media platforms, asking the public to observe strike on 8th and 13th July 2020,” police said.
It said that these acts prima facie constitute offences in terms of section 13 UA(P) Act, 505 IPC. Accordingly, a case FIR No. 265/2020 under relevant sections of law stands registered at Police Station Budgam and investigation thereof is set into motion.
It said that a statement issued on behalf of Syed Ali Geelani asking people to observe shutdown on the two days is “fake”.
“A fake statement on behalf of Syed Ali Geelani was issued by an absconded person who is presently residing in PaK. As per the sources of SAS Geelani the letter is fake and not issued by him,” it said.
Hurriyat leaders, including Geelani, have been calling for general strike on these days in the past.
However, Geelani or his aides could not be reached for a comment as he has been under house arrest for several years and the telephone line to his residence is not functional.
With inputs from PTI

Reader correspondent