Police foil JKLF march in Srinagar, 20 arrested

JKLF had announced to organise a dharna at Lal Chowk, demanding mortal remains of front founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who were hanged and buried in Delhi’s Tihar jail on February 11, 1984 and February 9, 2013 respectively. 

The authorities had arrested front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and several other leaders and activists during the past two days and also sealed the historic Lal Chowk to foil Wednesday’s dharna. However, the front leaders and supporters suddenly appeared at Saraibala and tried to march towards Lal Chowk, raising pro freedom slogans and also demanding return of mortal remain of Bhat and Guru. A large number of security forces and state police personnel swung into action and stopped the processionists at Hari Singh High Street (HSHS). However, after brief resistance, police took into custody about 20 leaders and activists of the front. 

They were first taken to police station Shaheed Gunj but soon were shifted to Batamaloo police station. 

JKLF vice chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakshi is under house arrest for the last three days. Police also have raided the houses of many JKLF leaders and workers, to arrest them, during last few days, a front spokesman said here this afternoon. 

Normal life was disrupted in and around Lal Chowk, the commercial hub of Srinagar, on Wednesday as police imposed restrictions in some police station areas. However, restrictions imposed in major areas of the downtown and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) were lifted. 

About a dozen senior leaders and over 100 activists of different separatist organisations remained under house arrest and detained in the Kashmir valley.