Uneasy calm in Kashmir on 129 Day, 12th Class student Arrested, Released
- Shutdown continues on 129 day across Kashmir
- Protests in Gojwara against minor’s detention
- Markets witness increase in traffic, pedestrian movement
Even as Kashmir continued to observe shutdown on the 129th consecutive day on Tuesday, protests were staged in old city’s Gojwara area against the detention of a minor boy.
Reports said that passenger vehicles plied in good numbers in the city for the first time in more than four months since the unrest began in Kashmir on July 8 after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Reports said that while most of the shops across Kashmir remained closed, in some areas of uptown shops remained open throughout the day. Private vehicles and passenger vehicles witnessed increased movement on the roads including the commercial hub LalChowk.
The number of vehicles increased manifold so did the pedestrian movement when the shops and business establishments opened after 4 pm on the relaxation call given by joint resistance leadership.
The increased movement of transport and people gave a semblance of normalcy in the city, with the authorities deploying more traffic police personnel to man the roads in the city which witnessed traffic snarls at a few places.
Many vendors had put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through LalChowk city-centre, while banks were also open across the Valley and witnessed rush of customers.
Reports from Gojwara area of old Srinagar said that massive protests were staged against the detention of a minor identified as Junaid Ahmed Shah. Residents alleged the police raided the residence of Shah and took him way. “He is a class 7 student,” they said. Women and children also took part in the protest.
Unidentified persons hurled three petrol bombs towards vendors at main town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The bombs landed near a J&K Bank branch. None was injured in the incident.
A class 12th student hailing from Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar was arrested by police on Tuesday.
Police arrested 12th class student Abdul Waheed Dar son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar of Pandan area and lodged him at police station Nowhatta.
Waheed was scheduled to appear in his ‘Education’ paper on Wednesday.
Waheed’s mother told Kashmir Post that her son had gone to fetch the notes of political science. “He was arrested by police while he was on way to bookseller “.
Waheed’s family members said he is innocent and from last one month has been preparing for Class 12 examination.
They said Waheed was to appear in Education paper tomorrow but now it seems remote as he has been lodged in police station Nowhatta.
A police official said Waheed was a stone pelter and arrested in a case vide FIR No 99/2016 under section 148, 149, 336, 152.
Later, in the evening Waheed was released by the police.
“Police released him conditionally in the evening. They have asked him to be present in the police station on Friday,” his family members said.
