March to Kulgam foiled

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 15

With the deployment of the police and the CRPF personnel in large numbers in sensitive areas, separatists’ proposed march to Kulgam was foiled while clashes between protesters and the police erupted in some areas of south Kashmir today.

The clashes took place at several places in the Pulwama area where the youths attempted to take out the march to Kulgam. The police lobbed teargas shells to chase away the protesters indulging in stone-throwing. Restrictions were imposed in Kulgam district to prevent the separatists’ march for paying tributes to the two civilians killed in the Frisal area on Sunday.

Life in south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian was affected due to the restrictions as the movement of vehicles on many roads leading to Kulgam. However, life remained normal in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley.

The separatist leaders, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, had called for “Kulgam Chalo” on the fourth day after the civilians were killed on Sunday. Four militants and two soldiers were killed in an encounter in the Frisal area of Kulgam district. While a civilian was killed during the encounter, another youth died and over two dozen others were injured in the clashes later.

Mirwaiz was kept under house arrest, Yasin Malik and others were detained to prevent them from leading the mach to Kulgam. Geelani continued to remain under house arrest at his Hyderpora residence. Geelani condemned the arrest of several leaders and restrictions to prevent the march to Kulgam. In a statement, he claimed that a delegation of the APHC, led by Ghulam Nabi Sumji, reached Kulgam and paid tributes to those killed.

At least 17 persons, including nine militants, six soldiers including a Major and two civilians, have been killed in separate encounters in Kulgam, Bandipora and Kupwara districts in the Valley since Sunday.