Amid Curfew, Shutdown, Protests Kashmir mourns Sabzar’s killing

  • Tough curbs, shutdown paralyses life in Valley
  • Geelani, Mirwaiz, Shah, others under house arrest, Malik detained
  • Situation remained under control: Police
  • Restrictions to continue in Srinagar, Anantnag: DCs
  • Schools, colleges to remain closed
  • KU, IUST postpone exams, to suspend class work today
  • Admit cards to be treated as curfew passes

The restrictions imposed by authorities and shutdown called by separatists to protest killing of Hizb commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and his associate paralyzed life in Valley on Sunday.
The authorities said restrictions will continue and schools and colleges will remain closed tomorrow.
The curfew-like restrictions were enforced in areas of Srinagar falling under the Police jurisdictions of Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, MR Gunj, Rainawari, Maisuma and Kral Khud.
The police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength in these areas to keep a watch on the situation and prevent people from staging anti-India protests.
“Civilians were not allowed to move out by force personnel, who had placed barricades and concertina wires on all major roads in downtown to prevent movement of people,” witnesses said.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Lone said restrictions will remain in force tomorrow also.
“The schools and colleges will remain closed tomorrow in view of prevailing situation,” he said.
The restrictions were imposed by administration in view of tension in the Valley after killing of Sabzar and his aide.
Tough restrictions were also imposed in Tral and other parts of Pulwama district.
The restrictions also remained in force in Anantnag and Shopian town in south Kashmir and Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora in north Kashmir.
Meanwhile, complete shutdown was observed across the Valley Kashmir to mourn killing of Sabzar and his aide.
Shops and business establishments in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley remained closed while public transport remained off the roads.
Defying restrictions, youth took to roads at some places in Pulwama, Meemdar in Shopian and pelted stones on the force personnel. The cops fired tear smoke shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse them. The clashes continued for some time.
The clashes were also reported from Palhalan areas in Baramulla and Trehgam and Natnoosa areas of Kupwara.
Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has decided to postpone the examinations for tomorrow, an official said.
He said class work in all schools and higher secondary school of will remain suspended tomorrow.
Kashmir University spokesperson Faheem Aslam told Kashmir Post that in view of current situation and complaints by students about non availability of transport, the university authorities have decided to postpone the examinations, which were scheduled to be held on Monday and Tuesday.
The classwork in university will also remain suspended for two days, he said.
Private Secretary to Vice chancellor Islamic university of Science and Technology Awantipora, Ajaz Qureshi said the examinations scheduled for Monday have been postponed. “Besides, the class work on Monday has been suspended.”
However, Central University of Kashmir has not call any call on suspending class work tomorrow.
“No examination was scheduled for tomorrow. The university has not yet decided whether the classes should be suspended tomorrow or not,” CUK spokesman Arshid Mehraj said.
Meanwhile, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was arrested from his residence at Miasuma.
A police official said Malik has been shifted to central jail in Srinagar.
He was arrested from his residence in Maisuma near Lal Chowk this morning.
The JKLF chairman had yesterday visited the residences of slain Hizbul Mujahideen militants Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and Faizan Muzaffar in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Other separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Shah, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Ayaz Akbar remained under house arrest.
Police version
A police spokesman said except for six incidents of stone pelting in Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Sopore, the situation across the valley remained peaceful and under control.
“In order to create disturbances, miscreants at these places assembled on roads and pelted stones on police and forces deployment and also on the vehicular traffic. In Pulwama, a group of miscreants also pelted stones on 182 CRPF Camp at Tahab,” he said.
The spokesman said police and forces used maximum restraint while dealing with the situation at these places and miscreants were chased away.
“As a precautionary measure, restrictions under section 144 CrPC were imposed in some vulnerable areas to prevent any untoward incident,” he added.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Anantnag said strict restrictions would remain be in place in the district tomorrow to prevent breach of peace and loss of life in view of the prevailing law and order situation.
He said the district administration has also setup helpline services with 9596777669, 9419047052and 9419367252 for the convenience of the people.
District Magistrate Pulwama said all schools and colleges in the district will remain closed on May 29 and 30 for precautionary measure.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, said the admit cards of the candidates appearing for J&K Civil Service (Judicial) Competitive Examination-2017 and identity cards of invigilators shall be treated as curfew passes in case of restrictions.
The examination centre set up in the Gandhi Memorial College, Shamaswari, Srinagar for the said examination has been shifted to J&K Public Service Commission Examination Hall, Solina, Srinagar. Therefore, the candidates who have been allotted examination centre at Gandhi Memorial College, Shamaswari, Srinagar shall report at J&K Public Service Commission Examination Hall, Solina, Srinagar for appearing in the said examination from 29.05.2017 onwards.

Much to the relief of authorities, Sunday largely passed off peacefully in Kashmir where life was thrown out of gear due to curfew and the separatist-sponsored shutdown to mourn the killing of Hizb commander Sabzar Bhat, who was buried in the Tral area today.
After Sabzar’s killing in a gunfight, spontaneous protests and over two dozen stone-throwing incidents were reported on Saturday. The situation across Kashmir was better today as no major protest or stone-throwing incident was reported till evening in the region where the fasting month of Ramadan also commenced.
“Except for six incidents of stone-throwing in Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Sopore, the situation across the Valley remained peaceful and under control,” the police said in a statement, adding that in Pulwama, a group of “miscreants” also threw stones on the 182 CRPF camp at Tahab. Apprehending protests, the authorities in Kashmir had imposed curfew in many parts.
Sabzar was buried at his native village Ratsuna today amid sloganeering. Thousands of people participated in several funeral prayers held in the village.
In Srinagar, despite the shutdown call, the situation was under control as the police and CRPF manned streets in the notified areas.

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