Beef ban decision puts Kashmir on edge again

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s verdict banning sale of beef has put the volatile state on the edge with clashes between protesters and police reported from several parts on Friday.

The separatist leaders, who have called for mass cow slaughter on the coming Eid and shutdown on Saturday to protest against the verdict, were placed under preventive house detention by authorities.

Reports said a group of masked youth set ablaze the national flag and displayed flags of Pakistan and terror group Islamic State near the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of old city, here, after Friday prayers.

Eyewitnesses said the protesters also carried posters of Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen’s 21-year-old local commander Burhan Wani.

The protesters also hurled stones at the police personnel who fired teargas shells to disperse them. The clashes continued till evening.

Reports said students at the University of Kashmir marched on the campus with massive sloganeering against the ruling PDP-BJP coalition government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

“We want the ban to be revoked as it doesn’t make any sense in this state. As Muslims, we have every right to choose the food we eat. And our religion allows us to consume beef,” a protesting student told Deccan Herald. Reports of clashes and protests were also received from Anantnag and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir where several bovine animals were slaughtered as a mark of protest against the ban on beef.

Reports said some protesters were injured in Pulwama town after police fired pellet guns to disperse them.

Fearing law and order problems, the authorities raided houses of several separatist leaders on Friday morning and placed Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and others under house detention. “The decision was taken to maintain law and order,” an official said.The separatists have called for shutdown on Saturday against the controversial beef ban.