Authorities foil Hurriyat’s Eidgah march in Srinagar

The authorities on Monday imposed restrictions in the old city area of Srinagar to foil the proposed rally by Hurriyat Conference at the Eidgah to commemorate the death anniversaries of separatist leaders Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone.

The authorities imposed severe restrictions in old parts of the city and deployed heavy contingents of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to thwart any march or protest demonstration.

Elsewhere, in the Valley, the strike called by the Hurriyat affected normal life with most of the places registering partial to complete strike. An official spokesman said restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed as a precautionary measure in five police station areas of the city.

Security forces had also erected checkpoints and barricades on all roads leading to old Srinagar. They also laid concertina wires to stop any type of movement. Reports from various district headquarters said that shops and business establishments remained closed while traffic plied partially.

The authorities had placed moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest. Like in the past, the Hurriyat had planned a gathering at the Eidgah martyrs’ graveyard to commemorate the death anniversary of Farooq and Lone.

Farooq, the father of Mirwaiz Umar, who headed the Awami Action Committee, was assassinated in 1990 by gunmen, whom police claim are members of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Lone was shot dead at a rally, called to pay tributes to Farooq, on May 21, 2002, by militants.