Srinagar: The government imposed restrictions in many parts of Valley and blocked internet across the Kashmir on Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani’s second death anniversary on Sunday. Coupled with the restrictions, a complete shutdown was observed in the Valley and parts of Jammu region on the call by Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umra Farooq and Yasin Malik.
The deployments of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with Jammu and Kashmir police and columns of the Army were fanned out to secure sensitive locations and intensify area domination in the Valley.
Severe restrictions were put in place in sensitive areas of summer capital Srinagar, south Kashmir and other parts of the valley. Curfew remained clamped in the home town of Wani on the second consecutive day. The graveyard of Wani and his residence at Shariefabad has been sealed by forces.
Despite the curfew, reports said that youth tried to march towards the Wani’s native village to pay tribute to slain Hizb commander on his second death anniversary. However, police and paramilitary personnel deployed in strength in the area prevented their march, triggering clashes.
CRPF troopers fired tear gas to disperse the protesters who pelted them with stones.
Wani, the 22-year-old Internet-savvy poster boy of the Hizb broadly acknowledged as being the architect of the social-media driven psychological warfare in Kashmir was along with two other militants killed by the government forces in a village of southern Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.
Wani’s killing sparked off unrest in Kashmir and parts of Jammu’s Chenab valley, leaving more than 80 people dead and thousands others wounded, most with pellet munitions. Two policemen were also killed “mob violence” during the unrest which spanned almost for five months.
The JRL had called for shutdown and proposed to hold a public meeting in Tral on the eve of second death anniversary of Wani and against the killing of three civilians including a girl in army firing in Qaimoh area of Kulgam district yesterday. However, Geelni and Mirwaiz remained under house arrest while Malik remained behind lock up.
All the business establishments and shops remain closed while the traffic was substantially off from the roads.
Reports said students of Zaukra campus of Kashmir University took a protest rally even as funeral prayers in absentia were at many places in the Valley. Reports of clashes were also received from many parts of the Valley.
Meanwhile, Muslims observed a complete shutdown in Bhadarwah area of Jammu on the call given by Anjuman-e-Islamia Bhadarwah (AIB) to pay tribute to Wani and to protest the killings of three civilians including a girl in army firing in Kulgam district yesterday.
