Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest while youths clashed with security forces after Friday prayers here.
Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest while youths clashed with security forces after Friday prayers here during protests by separatists in Kashmir Valley to press for release of their leaders and action against those involved in Shopian incident.
Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in Srinagar following a call by hardline faction of the Hurriyat for a strike and march to Cheshmashahi on the banks of Dal Lake to protest the arrest of separatist leaders.
Youths pierced a tight security cordon and indulged in stone-pelting shortly after police stopped supporters of Hurriyat from staging a rally outside historic Jamia Masjid.
Police responded by firing teargas shells leading to pitched battles at Gojwara, Kadi Kadal, Jildigar Mohalla, Chandpora and Malaratta near the historic mosque.
Barring violent clashes in parts of downtown Srinagar, the law and order situation remained by and large peaceful across Kashmir valley, official sources said.
Chairman of Hurriyat's moderate faction Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest this morning. Mirwaiz, who usually delivers the sermon at the Jamia Masjid and was released after 23 days of house arrest just two days back, could not attend the Friday prayers for the fourth time in a row in view of the fresh restrictions.
Shops and business establishments, educational institutions, banks, court and semi-government institutions remained closed and all modes of transport off the roads in view of the strike call and strict restrictions imposed by the authorities.
Peaceful demonstrations were staged across the Kashmir valley following a call by moderate Hurriyat to express solidarity with the people of Shopian who are on strike for the 28th day today to press for action against those involved in the alleged rape and murder of two women last month.
They said police also chased away a group of youth who indulged in stone-pelting at Maisuma in the heart of the city. The pelting followed a demonstration staged by supporters of JKLF in the area.
Authorities sealed all roads leading to Cheshmashahi in view of the protests called by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani who is lodged in make-shift subjail at Cheshmashahi.
Geelani was arrested on the night of June 6 from his Hyderpora residence after remaining under house arrest for more than 75 days.
While government employees were ferried in guarded buses to the civil secretariat, attendance in rest of the government offices was thin, the sources said.
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