The authorities in Kashmir foiled attempts by separatists to march towards the south Kashmir’s mountainous Shopian district to exhibit solidarity with civilians shot dead by security forces in clashes on Sunday following fierce encounters resulting into death of 13 terrorists and three Army soldiers. The normal life remained out of gear for the third consecutive day even as the separatists had not called for shutdown. The authorities imposed restrictions in several sensitive areas in old Srinagar and suspended train services between Banihal and Baramulla for the fourth day.

A contingent of police took senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in custody when he attempted to foil restrictions on his movement and came out of his mansion in Nageen area of Srinagar to lead a protest march. Another senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was also put under house-arrest after he tried to march towards Shopian. Geelani and Mirwaiz along-with JKLF chief Yasin Malik, who is lodged in Srinagar’s central jail, have formed Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a loose grouping to spearhead separatist campaign in Kashmir since 2016 summer following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani.

Most shops, business establishments, Government and private offices, banks and post offices remained closed and skeletal transport was visible on roads. Police and paramilitaries were deployed in strength to maintain law and order in sensitive localities.

CM Mufti on Tuesday prevailed upon the security agencies to maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) while dealing with the law and order situations but on the same day a 22-year youngster from Kangan pocket of Ganderbal district died of a firearm injury.

The authorities have ordered a probe into the killing.

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) issued notice to police in Shopian to submit a detailed compliance report about civilian killings and the truth behind human shield incident during a recent gunfight. The locals have alleged that security forces made a local resident Mushtaq Ahmed Thokar a ‘human shield’ that led to his killing during an encounter.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Thursday, 05 April 2018 | Khursheed Wani | Srinagar