Violent clashes rocked Srinagar after police swooped down on Shia mourners when they were trying to lead a Muharram procession in the civil lines area of the summer capital city on Sunday.
Violent clashes rocked Srinagar after police swooped down on Shia mourners when they were trying to lead a Muharram procession in the civil lines area of the summer capital city on Sunday.
Several mourners and policemen were injured in the subsequent stone-pelting and tear smoke shelling while dozens of people were taken into custody.
Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in the Srinagar city centre including Lal Chowk to prevent the mourners from taking out the procession. Police had imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 to prevent the Muharram procession.
Led by the senior Hurriyat leader and Ithad-ul-Muslimeen president Moulana Masroor Abbaas Ansari, the Shia mourners were stopped at Jahangir Chowk by the police and asked to return. However, mourners did not pay heed and tried to march ahead leading to the altercation.
Police swung into action and chased the mourners which triggered clashes between the two. People raised slogans and pelted stones on the police which used lathicharge and lobbed smoke shells to disperse the mob.
Police also used colored water cannons to disperse the procession.
“Restrictions were put in place in some areas (for security reasons). People tried defy the prohibitory orders. There were some clashes in which our four to five boys were injured”, said Syed Ashiq Bukhari, senior superintendent of police, Srinagar.
Ithad-ul-Muslimeen (IM) spokesman, however, said police used brute force to quell the peaceful religious procession in Srinagar
“Our patron Moulana Mohammad Abbaas Ansari was put under house arrest and not allowed to perform his religious duties. Our president Moulana Masroor was arrested when he was leading the procession. Scores of mourners were also arrested and several others suffered injuries”, he said.
IM, a constituent of moderate Hurriyat, has not been allowed to lead the procession since the onset of militancy. However, every year on eight day of Muharram, the cadres of IM defy the restrictions and lead the procession in the civil lines area. “We have been fighting a legal battle also seeking directions to the authorities to allow the procession. But so far the government is dithering on this issue”, said IM spokesman.
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