Govt’s curfew, Hurriyat’s shutdown mark Army Day in Kashmir

Demonstrators clash with Police at Bandipore, Baramulla

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Separatists-sponsored shutdown coupled by enforcement of curfew by Police and security forces marked 63^rd anniversary of the Indian Army’s first landing in Kashmir valley today. Even as there were no black flags to oblige separatist hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani, there were either no reports of any official celebration of the day by the state government or armed forces.

Apprehensive of trouble from followers of the heads of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, authorities had overnight clamped curfew on almost entire Kashmir valley, including this capital city. Chairman of so-called moderate faction of the Hurriyat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had called for total shutdown, described the arrival of the Indian Army in 1947 as a ‘Black day’ and asked the Kashmiris to stage a march to high security Sonwar and submit a memorandum to the observers at UNMOGIP headquarters. Hardliner Geelani had supported Mirwaiz Umar’s call and additionally called upon the people to hoist black flags on their houses and wear black badges on their arms to register their “protest” to the presence of the Indian Army in the “disputed state”.

Curfew remained strictly in force in downtown Srinagar as also in Sopore, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipore, Pulwama, Pampore, Shopian and Kulgam townships. Without a formal announcement, authorities relaxed the restrictions in uptown Srinagar and several other towns when there was neither any mobilization of people nor reports of any clash with Police and security forces till afternoon.

Reports said that shops and business establishments, including a number of banks and government offices, remained closed for the day in several areas but, in contrast to the scenes from July to middle of the current month, private transport operated in certain localities. Even on Geelani-sponsored ‘total shutdown’ on Oct 25^th and 26^th, a large number of private and official vehicles were seen in movement and, for the first time this year, even the commercial passenger buses and trucks were seen plying on different routes in defiance of the call for a ‘civil curfew’. In Srinagar, there were even traffic jams at several places that otherwise appear to be the drivers’ and commuters’ headache on normal days of business.

A number of private vehicles operated today but all modes of commercial transport were off the road today. Almost all the government offices remained open but reports said attendance was extremely thin. No black flags or badges were, however, spotted anywhere in the Valley. It was late in the afternoon that authorities formally announced relaxation in curfew.

Police and CRPF bandobust in the capital city served as a barrier to followers of the separatist leaders who failed to gather and stage a march to UNMOGIP.

Informed sources said that scores of demonstrators clashed with Police and paramilitary forces at Palan in Bandipore. While three Policemen sustained injuries in the heavy stone pelting, officials said that five of the ‘miscreants’ also got injured in the retaliatory action. They were later provided medical treatment at District Hospital of Bandipore. Reports of relatively minor clashes poured in from Baramulla, and Palhalan. An official spokesman said that late last night, a civilian was injured when miscreants taergeted and damaged his Scorpio vehicle at Nowhatta. He was rushed to Soura and admitted at SKIMS.

Some civilian vehicles were reportedly damaged in stone pelting at Tahab in Pulwama district.

END