Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 17: Two Sumo vehicles were torched by a group of masked men in Parimpora area of Srinagar while police arrested 60 persons today on charges of creating trouble even as shutdown paralysed life in Kashmir for 101st day today.
Hundreds of security force personnel were deployed in five police station areas of Srinagar’s Old City – MR Gunj, Nowhatta, Safa Kada, Rainawari and Khanyar – since early morning. However, there was civilian movement without any disruption in all these areas. The areas like Habba Kadal and Maisuma were also under thick security blanket to prevent any violence in these two sensitive areas.
The shops, business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed and public transport was off the roads today. However, there was extra-ordinary movement of private transport and pedestrians was seen since early morning.
The vendors had set up their stalls at Batamaloo, Lal Chowk, Dalgate, Sonwar, Jehangir Chowk, Exhibition Crossing and Jawahar Nagar.
At Barthana near Parimpora, two Sumo taxis bearing registration numbers JK05B- 5863 and JK09-9209 were set ablaze by masked youth for defying shutdown call of separatists this morning. The vehicles were completely gutted even as fire tenders arrived at spot to douse the flames. Police also rushed to the spot and started manhunt.
These two vehicles were coming from Kupwara and belonged to Jehangir Ahmad Dar of Cherkote Lolab and Muhammad Yusuf Khataba of Kalaroos. Police launched a crackdown in Parimpora and Qamarwari areas to nab the accused and curfew-like restrictions were also imposed to prevent violence.
In the evening, markets across Srinagar opened and Lal Chowk area witnessed huge rush of people and there were reports of heavy traffic jam from many Civil Line areas.
At Samboora area of South Kashmir, Army’s 50 RR and SOG after receiving a specific input about the presence of some militants cordoned off the area and started search operation.
However, according to local sources, the residents came out of their houses and started massive stone-pelting on security forces, leading to clashes between the two sides. Police retaliated by firing teargas and the clashes continued for over one hour in the area.
According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, situation across the Kashmir valley remained largely peaceful today. “Normal movement of traffic was seen with shops open and vendors dotting the roads lanes and by lanes across Kashmir. In the morning some miscreants in their attempt to disrupt the normal flow of traffic set on fire two vehicles near fruit Mandi, Srinagar,” the press statement said.
The statement said that taking cognizance of the crime, police registered a case under FIR number 231/2016 in police station Parimpora and started investigation. Six miscreants involved in this crime have been identified and a manhunt has been launched to arrest them.
Meanwhile, the statement said that in its continuous drive against the trouble-mongers, police arrested 60 individuals involved in disrupting public order in different parts of the Valley.
Meanwhile, Special Director General of Police, Coordination, Law and Order, Dr SP Vaid today said that the use of pellet gun is last resort and appealed the parents to make children understand not to resort to violence.
“My appeal to people is to maintain calm, take care of children. We don’t want any child should get hurt, blind or pellet guns be used. Our instructions are that pellet guns should be last resort but it is also responsibility of elders to make children understand not to resort to violence”, Dr Vaid told reporters after meeting the Civil Society members in Anantnag.
The Special DG said that there should be continuous interaction with the people for improving the situation. “…there should be interaction with people, their problems be understood, and what kind of improvement can we bring in our police and paramilitary administration and how can we minimize peoples’ problems”, he said.
Dr Vaid while speaking at an interaction with the civil society members of South Kashmir at Dak-Bunglow, Anantnag today said people have full faith in J&K Police and are visiting police stations, police posts and police offices with their problems with the hope that the grievances would be solved on priority.
“People are going through difficult situation. The studies of children are getting wasted. The business is shut. Keeping in view all this, today along with IGP Kashmir I visited here and also we will talk to our officers and officers of paramilitary CRPF and will take stock of the situation”, said Dr Vaid.
During interaction, which was also attended by IGP (Kashmir Zone), SJM Gillani and IGP, CRPF, Zulfikar Hassan, Dr Vaid heard people’s problems and gave on spot instructions to solve them. He highlighted the role of civil society in maintaining peace and order and sought their cooperation in dealing the situation in a befitting manner.
Later, Dr. Vaid presided over officers meeting of South Kashmir Range at DPL Anantnag, reviewed the security and law & order scenario of the Range. Addressing the officers, he stressed to enhance cooperation among the agencies to ensure safety and security of the people at every level.
The Special DG said that the police has dealt these situations with professional expertise, using minimum force. “Police with other security agencies has always ensured to avoid loss of life and property of people while dealing with these situations, he added.
Dr Vaid stressed upon the officers present in the meeting to maintain close co-ordination within their ranks and other security forces to achieve better results in defusing the situations in their respective jurisdictions. “Regular meetings and interactions with the public at different levels is must to enhance police public relations, he said.
Earlier, DIG SKR, GH Bhat, who was accompanying the Special DG, briefed him about the overall situation in the Range. He said that the personnel deployed in the field have been briefed to be people friendly and exercise maximum restraint during crowd management.
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