Clashes, Protests in Pulwama, Islamabad , Bandipora , Srinagar over beef ban

Clashes broke out between youth and government forces in Pulwama district of South Kashmir after police tried to stop the address of Hurriyat (G) leader Shabir Ahmad Shah after Friday prayers.

Our Pulwama Correspondent Showkat Dar who was on the spot said Shah was addressing a big gathering in the town when a police team headed by the Station House Officer arrived there.

All of a sudden, stone pelting and tear gas shelling started and everybody ran for cover, he said, adding that it was not immediately known whether Shah was detained.

Earlier, a cow was slaughtered as a mark of protest against the ban imposed by a court order on beef.

Addressing the gathering, Shah called upon the PDP to break its alliance with the BJP over what he said the latter’s “interference in our religious affairs”.

“Our prophet (SAW) has asked us to have beef. We will have beef even if the Supreme Court orders a ban,” Shah said.

Clashes also broke out in Islamabad (Anantnag) town where protesters pelted stones on the forces who responded with tear gas shelling.

Reports said that three bovines were slaughtered at Reshi Bazar, Sherbagh and Lal Chowk area in a symbolic protest against the court order banning beef in the state.

Bandipora

Scores of people after Friday prayers staged protests in various parts of Bandipora district against the high court direction to implement the laws of ban on beef.

People marched from Jamia Masjid to Gulshan Chowk after Friday congregation prayers. Protestors were raising Pro freedom and Anti Indian slogans.

Civil Society members, separatist activist and local elders addressed protesting people.

Terming ban an intervention in religious affairs, the speakers said that intervention in religious affairs can’t be tolerated.

“We will never accept this order, we will not allow anybody to saffronise our pious culture and civilisations” Speakers said.

“If ban is not revoked we will start agitation,” they warned.

Similarly people in Hajin, Naidkhi and Sumbal took to roads demanding revocations of ban.

Srinagar

Violent protests erupted in Nowhatta area of old city on Friday against the beef ban verdict of state high court.

Protest call was given by separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik.

Soon after Friday prayers, hundreds of protesters raised anti-India and pro freedom slogans in Nowhatta Chowk just outside the Jamia Masjid.

Protesters started marching however heavy deployment of men in uniform stopped their march which was retaliated by heavy stone pelting by the protesters.

The men in uniform resorted to tear smoke shelling to disperse the protesters.

Clashes between the men in uniform and protesters were going on when the reports last came in.