Kashmir occupied by Indian army: Valley under siege to thwart Lal Chowk march

Barricades, barbed wires on roads; mobile phones jammed

KT NEWS SERVICE

SRINAGAR, OCT 6: With very strict curfew, heavy deployment of security forces, and arrest of separatist leadership, the Kashmir Coordination Committee (KCC) march to Lal Chowk was thwarted by the government today.
It was government sponsored fear which ruled the entire Valley.

However, curfew was defied in some places including Maisuma, Nowhatta, Baramulla, Pulwama and Rafiabad and protests held.

Not only Lal Chowk but the whole Valley was put under siege with roads, bridges and even lanes at some places sealed with barbed wires, iron barriers and armoured vehicles.

Lakhs of people in Kashmir were made hostage in their respective homes.

Curfew was being enforced so strictly that security men were not honouring the curfew passes issued by the government.

A number of people, despite having valid curfew passes, were forced to return to their homes.

Some persons including a journalist Sibte Mohammad Hassan were beaten.

The widow panes of the vehicles were smashed and houses ransacked at Onta Bhawan and Safakadal areas by CRPF after youth defied curfew restrictions there.

Some people living in house boats in river Jehlum at Abi Guzar bund side were beaten up by para-military personnel, enforcing curfew.

The security personnel clearly told the people in down town and other Civil Lines areas to stay indoors as they have been directed by the higher authorities not to entertain the curfew passes. Because of the curfew, not a single newspaper could be published here.

Even the newspapers from outside Valley could not reach here or distributed.

The government had made almost ineffective mobile phone system in Kashmir particularly in Lal Chowk area.

Making and receiving the call through cell phones particularly BSNL had become very difficult.

Senior leaders Javid Ahmad Mir of Hurriyat Conference (M) and Moulana Showkat, president Jamiat-e- Ahlihadees were arrested by police from Maisuma and Lal Bazar respectively. JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was arrested on Saturday evening, while Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman Hurriyat (M) and Sajjad Gani Lone, chairman Peoples Conference (S) continued to be under house arrest.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman Hurriyat (G) continues to be under treatment in SKIMS Soura for ailments including intestinal infection and fever.

The day began with heavy deployment of security forces, enforcing the curfew strictly. Not only Srinagar city but even all the major and small towns in Valley were virtually converted into garrisons. Different parts of Valley including Srinagar were cut off from each other by security forces by blocking the roads and bridges with iron barriers, barbed wire and armoured vehicles.

The barricades were erected at different places on these roads. The security forces had established check points even at almost stone’s throw.

Equipped with guns and lathis the security and police personnel were not allowing the people to come out. Reports from the down town said that at a number of places, the residents were not allowed to peep out from the windows.

At some localities people alleged that the security men had bolted from outside the main gates of their houses to prevent them from moving out.

The roads leading to Lal Chowk were sealed for the second consecutive days.

The Abi Guzar Road, near Lal Chowk was blocked at two places with iron barriers and barbed wire. Maisuma was sealed with iron barriers and barbed wire.

The Janglat Mandi Road, Court Road, Koker Bazar, Palladium Gali and Amirakadal Bridge continued to remain sealed with barbed wire.

More armoured vehicles were brought into the Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower), located at the centre of Lal Chowk, for completely sealing. Today even media persons were not allowed to enter the Ganta Ghar.

They were directed to do cover the area from Budshah Chowk area side.

Despite the strict curfew, people took to streets at several places defying curfew restrictions and holding protest demonstrations. But the security forces did not allow them to reach the main roads and take out processions.

They were dispersed. The affected areas include Baramulla, Pulwama, Rafiabad and Maisuma. Police claimed that security forces neither opened fire nor burst smoke shells in any part of Valley to disperse protestors.

A police spokesman said the situation remained peaceful and under control and that there was no report about any major defiance of curfew from any part of Valley.

People in Onta Bhawan and Safakadal alleged that security forces smashed the window panes of the vehicles and ransacked the houses after some youth defied curfew restrictions. Some persons were also beaten as they objected.

This morning the people living in the house boat on the banks of Jehlum in Abi Guzar area were also thrashed and asked not to venture out.

People in Baramulla nabbed a youth, Ayaz Ahmad Lone, with a grenade.

He was thrashed and he allegedly told the locals that he was given the grenade by some security agency to throw it on the protest demonstrators. The youth was handed over to police.

Reports of strict curfew were also received from all the major and small towns of Valley including Anatnag, Shopian, Baramulla, Sopore, Pulwama, Tral, Qazigund, and Charar-e- Sharief, Chadoora, Pattan and Bandipora.

It may be recalled here that on August 25, the government had thwarted a march to Lal Chowk with the imposition of curfew and excessive use of force against protestors defying the curfew.

A number of persons were killed in firing on protestors at that time.

Prior to that KCC had taken out four marches in which lakhs of people had taken part.