Mir Ehsan   

Violence clashes erupt in several villages of Kupwara. The Kashmir Valley was shut down on Friday by a general strike called by separatist organisations to mourn the death of PhD scholar-turned militant Manan Wani, who was killed by security forces on Thursday in north Kashmir’s Handwara.

Shops, public transport, businesses and educational institutions remained closed, skeletal private transport though moved in Srinagar city roads. Apprehending student protests authorities ordered closure of schools and colleges in Srinagar. Train services between north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Bannihal in Jammu were also suspended as a precautionary measure.

The shutdown call was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) of separatist groups on Thursday evening following the killing of Wani and his associate Ashiq Hussain Zarger, who both belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group. Clashes were reported in several villages in Lolab and Kupwara after Friday prayers. Police caned and burst teargas shells to disperse protestors.

Additional forces were deployed in Srinagar’s old city and several parts of Kupwara. Friday prayers were not allowed in the city’s Grand Mosque Jamia Masjid as authorities were concerned about possible protests in the area.

Wani, 27, who was enrolled as a PhD scholar with the Aligarh Muslim University, joined militant ranks in January this year. ALIGARH: A case of sedition was registered against two Kashmiri students at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for raising anti-national slogans, seeking ‘azadi’ (freedom).

The accused, Wasim Ayub Malik and Abdul Haseeb Mir are research scholars pursuing PhD at the varsity. They were among the students, who on Thursday had attempted to organise a prayer meeting on campus in memory of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Manan Wani’s, who was shot dead in an encounter in Kupwara.

“Wasim Ayub Malik and Abdul Haseeb Mir are from biochemistry and history department and their details are being sought from the AMU administration,” said Ajay Kumar Sahni, SSP, Aligarh. The case was registered under different Sections of 147, 148, 124A, 153A, 153B, 504 and 506 of the IPC and action will follow as per law, he added.

“A terrorist was shot down in an encounter with the Army in J&K and there were reports about a prayer meeting being held for him in the university. Besides, a video has surfaced wherein few students are seen raising anti-national slogans seeking ‘azadi’. On the basis of this, in-charge of Civil Lines police station has registered a case,” said Sahni. Earlier, AMU initiated disciplinary action against nine students for attempting to organise funeral prayer. The varsity administration claimed that the ‘unlawful assembly’ was not allowed and a show-cause notice was issued to these students.

“Wani was a research scholar in the geology department of AMU but was rusticated when his links with terrorists were exposed. National interest is topmost priority for AMU. Efforts by some students to organise ‘unlawful assembly’ on Thursday was foiled,” said Shafey Kidwai, AMU spokesperson.

Condemning the attempt to hold a prayer meet, Satish Gautam, BJP MP from Aligarh sought details from the varsity’s V-C on action taken against such students. “These efforts at AMU by Kashmiri students goes to show that things are not under control at AMU,” wrote the MP.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times: 13 Oct, 2018