Srinagar, Sept 23-2010

Police arrests ‘Hartal’ as curfew continued in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sept 23: While as police said that it arrested a ‘wanted’ stone pelter nicknamed ‘Hartal’, Curfew continued with periodic relaxations for several hours across Kashmir valley on Thursday.

A police official said a youth, Mohammad Asif alias ‘Hartal’, was arrested from Saraf Kadal in old city of Srinagar here this morning.

“He is involved in a number of miscreant activities and was particularly involved in motivating and instigating other youth for stone pelting on security forces,” the official said and claimed that the arrest was a major achievement for the police.

Meanwhile, authorities continued with strict curfew for thirteenth day in running across Srinagar and other major towns in the Valley.

However, the authorities eased the restrictions in phases in the afternoon. The relaxation in 24x7 strict curfew, in force in Srinagar and other cities and towns from September 12, passed off peacefully except for stone-pelting protests in Pulwama district in southern Pulwama district.

A police spokesperson said that Curfew was relaxed from 1300 to 1600 hours in the Pulwama district. But, it was to be re-imposed after incidents of stone pelting, the spokesperson said.

In the areas under the jurisdiction of police stations Saddar, Shaeed Gunj, Sadder, Shergari, Batmaloo, Rajbagh, Pantha-chowk, Nowgam, Kothi-bagh, Ram Munshi Bagh, Nishat and Harwan curfew was eased for several hours from 1500 hours and continued till late in the night. In other parts including downtown, the restrictions were eased after 1700 hours.

In Kangan and Ganderbal in central Kashmir, curfew restrictions were relaxed from 1300 to 1500 hours and passed off peacefully, the spokesperson added.

In Anantnag and Awantipora in South Kashmir, Curfew was relaxed from 1500 hours to 1900 hours.

In another South Kashmir district, Shopian, Curfew was relaxed from 1600 hours and continued till late in the evening.

In northern Baramulla and adjoining areas, Curfew was relaxed in the afternoon and continued up to 2200 hours.

Except for protests in Pulwama, the overall situation across the valley remained ‘largely peaceful,’ the police said.

There was no strike call by Separatist and authorities continued with the clamped despite the fact that past several days were violence free.

The round-the-clock curfew was imposed in Srinagar on September 12 and was extended to the entire Kashmir Valley the next day following incidents of violence.