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Shabbir Shah held for defying curfew

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

For the second consecutive day, Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar was rocked by violence, even as curfew continued in the Civil Line area and two uptown localities.

Security forces are enforcing a strict curfew in the areas under the two police stations in the city's Civil Line area and no movement is being allowed in the curfew-bound localities, which are still tense following the death of 14-year-old Jawed Ahmed Nath, in firing by security forces on Friday.

The police on Saturday arrested senior separatist leader and People's Democratic Party chairman Shabbir Ahmed Shah along with supporters in the curfew-bound city centre, Lal Chowk. Shah defied curfew restrictions and tried to visit the tense Maisuma locality, where Jawed lived.

Police and security forces had a difficult time controlling stone-throwing mobs in several up- and downtown localities. From early Saturday, stone-throwing demonstrators protesting against the Haigam firings came out on the streets in Dalgate, Basantbagh, Barbarshah, Karan Nagar and Kaksarai in uptown and Gojiyara, Nowhatta, Hawal and Soura localities in downtown. They clashed with the police and security forces, who tear-gassed and cane-charged demonstrators shouting pro-freedom slogans.

Angry youths took out a procession in northern Baramulla town. The demonstrators marched in the town even as authorities beefed up security. A report from south Kashmir said angry protestors stoned passing vehicles at Khanabal in Anantnag district.

Kashmir Valley observed a complete strike for the second day running against the Haigam killings. The strike, called by the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference, saw closed shops and business establishments in Srinagar and other towns.

The Kashmir ceasefire: The complete coverage

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