Srinagar, May 30: Authorities on Sunday foiled Shopian chalo march by detaining and putting under house arrest top separatist leaders and imposing strict restrictions in the old city. More than 20 persons, including three policemen and one paramilitary CRPF trooper, were injured while approximately two dozen youth were detained during valley wide protests today.
 The Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, had called for Shopian chalo to mark the one year of the Shopian tragedy. The alleged rape and murder of teenager Asiya and her sister-in-law Neelofar on intervening night of May 29 and May 30 last year had triggered Valley wide protests. Shopian district had observed a complete strike for 47 days to mourn the tragedy.   
 Authorities had deployed hundreds of policemen and paramilitary CRPF troopers in volatile old city areas to prevent people from moving towards Shopian. The Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remained under house arrest for the second consecutive day, while the Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani was undergoing treatment at SK Institute here under a tight vigil. The Hurriyat Conference (G) General Secretary Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Farida Behanji were not allowed by police to come out of their houses, while scores of  Hurriyat leaders were picked up from different places last night.    
 However, Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief, Asiya Andrabi, managed to give a slip to the police and reached Shopian, to join the protest organized by Majlis-e-Masharawat. A delegation of the High Court Bar Association comprising its president, Mian Abdul Qayoom, Aijaz Bedar and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen also reached Shopian.

PROTESTS IN CITY
 Reports said that scores of people assembled in Kawadara area of old city this morning and staged a massive pro-freedom demonstration. When they tried to move forward police and CRPF troopers’ baton charged them and fired tear smoke canisters to disperse them. However, protesters retaliated with stones triggering clashes that continued throughout the day.      
 The police in Nawa Kadal area intercepted another protest rally. The youth pelted stones on CRPF and police in which one trooper was injured, reports said. Soon protests spread to other areas of old city including Bohri Kadal, Saraf Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Kadi Kadal, Nowhatta, Malrata, Khanyar, Zaina Kadal and Baba Demb. The police used force to quell the demonstrators.
 Soon a heavy contingent of CRPF and police was rushed to the affected areas and undeclared curfew was imposed, reports added.
 The City Police Chief, Reyaz Bedar told Greater Kashmir that three policemen received minor injures in stone pelting incidents in Srinagar. “One person was arrested in Safa Kadal while pelting stones,” he added.

SOUTH KASHMIR
In view of Shopian chalo call, life remained disrupted in most parts of the Valley.
 In south Kashmir’s Islamabad district pitched battles between protesters and CRPF troopers were going on till late in the evening in Cheerni Chowk, Malak Nag, Reshi Bazar and Lal Chowk areas.
 Reports said a CRPF vehicle was attacked by protesters at Cheeni Chowk in the evening. Police fired several rounds in the air and lobbed tear smoke canisters in which two persons were injured. Some policemen and CRPF troopers were also injured in the clashes.
 Reports said police detained four youth in Islamabad who were allegedly pelting stones. “The block president of National Conference, Fayaz Ahmad Peer was severely thrashed by police after being held near Cheeni Chowk for allegedly pelting stones. However he was later released,” sources said.
 Reports said that CRPF troopers broke windowpanes of several houses at Sherpora, Janglat Mandi and Malak Nag.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 IST