Day of normalcy in Valley

Day of normalcy in Valley

Police seize 13-vehicles carrying relief, 34 aid-workers held

Srinagar, July 27: While normal buzz returned for a day in entire Kashmir Valley on Tuesday, police detained 34 persons carrying aid to city denizens from southern Kashmir’s Shopian district.

All the markets in this summer capital particularly Lal Chowk—the nerve centre, Batmaloo, Qamarwari and Nowhatta were swarmed by thousands of people, giving the cash starved vendors some joy. Ration depots and provisional shops were in huge demand along with ATMs as people made beeline outside the ventures.

All shops and other business establishments including banks opened and all government as well as private schools, Universities and colleges opened in Srinagar, the summer capital of state, and elsewhere.

The reopening came after the separatist amalgam led by incarcerated Syed Ali shah Geelani call for “relaxation” for a day today in the strike in wake of the Shab-e-Bharat (a Muslim festival). The separatists have already called for protest and shutdowns this week barring ensuing Saturday.

As hundreds of vehicles, both public and private, returned life to the city roads, it simultaneous brought about massive traffic jams. The most severe congestion occurred in Dalgate area, the main entry to capital city, Lal Chowk. Reports of traffic snarls were also received from Jahangir Chowk and Karananagar towards southern part of the city and Moulana Azad road, another busy street in the commercial hub of the summer capital.

Meanwhile, police stopped 13 mini load carriers carrying relief material for residents of Srinagar, particularly Maisuma and old city near Sonwar area in outskirts of Lal Chowk, the commercial hub of the state.

Police said the relief material was seized after the relief workers resorted to stone pelting after they were stopped for normal checking.

“The relief workers shouted slogans and resorted to stone pelting against police,” concerned Station house Officer (SHO) Ram Munshi Bagh, Adil Ahmad said. “To prevent deterioration of the law and order situation, we had detained the workers and seized the material,” he added.

Meanwhile, a protest demonstration was held in Kakpora area in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district as scores of people blocked the highway in demand for release of a local youth, Showkat Lone son of Muhammad Shaban Lone, arrested for alleged stone pelting.

Police also arrested a separatist leader of Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani.

Official sources said that police intercepted a passenger bus near Parimpora in outskirts of the city and arrested the separatist Abdul Ahad Para, also a close aide of the wanted separatists Masrat Alam, man who announces the protest and shutdown calls.

State administration also slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) against two persons including Mohammad Maqbool Sofi, an activist of moderate Hurriyat Conference. The septuagenarian activist, who was shifted to Rajouri in Jammu, has been charged of leading a procession to Sopore last month.

The administration also booked a youth, Shabir Ahmad, son of Mohammad Lateef Bhat of Zainakote under PSA and lodged him in Sub-Jail Kupwara for his alleged involvement in stone pelting.