ID :
39232
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 15:13
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150 detained, nearly 80 injured in clashes with police in Sgr
Srinagar, Jan 6 (PTI) At least 150 persons were detained and nearly 80 others injured in clashes between police and people who took out Muharram processions in violation of prohibitory orders in the city in frontier Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.
The marchers, who were chanting religious and anti-Israel
slogans, were baton charged and teargassed at several places
between Budshah Chowk to Dalgate.
Before the eruption of militancy in 1989, Shiites used to
take out processions on eighth and tenth Muharram from Guru
Bazar to Imambara Dalgate and Abi Guzar to Zadibal in downtown
Srinagar, respectively.
However, the processions have been banned by authorities
since 1990 as a precuationary measure.
Senior Hurriyat Conference leader and Ittihadul Muslimeen
president Masroor Abbass Ansari who led the procession from
Guru Bazar, was among the injured, the sources said.
Activities came to a standstill in the heart of the city
in view of the clashes, the sources said adding shopkeepers
briefly pulled down their shutters and traffic was also
disrupted.
The trouble started when a procession appeared at Budshah
Chowk area of the city this afternoon and started marching
towards Dalgate. However, they were stopped by the police at
nearby women's college along the Maulana Azad Road and asked
to disperse.
When they refused, police swung into action and used
batons to disperse them, the sources said adding nearly 100
of them were taken into preventive custody.
Soon after, another group led by Ansari came from Guru
Bazar locality of the city and started marching towards
Dalgate but as they reached near KMD in Budshah Chowk, they
were stopped by police, the sources said.
The marchers turned violent and resorted to stone-pelting
at the police, which fired tear gas and baton charged them,
the sources said.
They said over 50 marchers were detained and 80 others
including Ansari injured in the clashes which continued till
the processionists reached Dalgate.
The Intihadul Muslimeen has already filed a petition in
the Jammu and Kashmir High Court challenging the ban on
Muharram processions in the city, alleging it was a violation
of their fundamental rights.
The court issued notices to the authorities seeking
objections on the petition within a weeks time but it did not
say anything about processions being taken out Tuesday and on
January 8 (8th and 10th day of Muharram month).
Meanwhile, Shiites also took out processions at various
places including Budgam and Beerwah in central Kashmir,
Pattan, Sumbal in Baramulla and Zadibal, Lal Bazar,
Saidakadal, Hassanabad, Khanda and Chatergam areas in
Srinagar. The processions ended peacefully at the respective
imambaras, the sources said. PTI AMS
The marchers, who were chanting religious and anti-Israel
slogans, were baton charged and teargassed at several places
between Budshah Chowk to Dalgate.
Before the eruption of militancy in 1989, Shiites used to
take out processions on eighth and tenth Muharram from Guru
Bazar to Imambara Dalgate and Abi Guzar to Zadibal in downtown
Srinagar, respectively.
However, the processions have been banned by authorities
since 1990 as a precuationary measure.
Senior Hurriyat Conference leader and Ittihadul Muslimeen
president Masroor Abbass Ansari who led the procession from
Guru Bazar, was among the injured, the sources said.
Activities came to a standstill in the heart of the city
in view of the clashes, the sources said adding shopkeepers
briefly pulled down their shutters and traffic was also
disrupted.
The trouble started when a procession appeared at Budshah
Chowk area of the city this afternoon and started marching
towards Dalgate. However, they were stopped by the police at
nearby women's college along the Maulana Azad Road and asked
to disperse.
When they refused, police swung into action and used
batons to disperse them, the sources said adding nearly 100
of them were taken into preventive custody.
Soon after, another group led by Ansari came from Guru
Bazar locality of the city and started marching towards
Dalgate but as they reached near KMD in Budshah Chowk, they
were stopped by police, the sources said.
The marchers turned violent and resorted to stone-pelting
at the police, which fired tear gas and baton charged them,
the sources said.
They said over 50 marchers were detained and 80 others
including Ansari injured in the clashes which continued till
the processionists reached Dalgate.
The Intihadul Muslimeen has already filed a petition in
the Jammu and Kashmir High Court challenging the ban on
Muharram processions in the city, alleging it was a violation
of their fundamental rights.
The court issued notices to the authorities seeking
objections on the petition within a weeks time but it did not
say anything about processions being taken out Tuesday and on
January 8 (8th and 10th day of Muharram month).
Meanwhile, Shiites also took out processions at various
places including Budgam and Beerwah in central Kashmir,
Pattan, Sumbal in Baramulla and Zadibal, Lal Bazar,
Saidakadal, Hassanabad, Khanda and Chatergam areas in
Srinagar. The processions ended peacefully at the respective
imambaras, the sources said. PTI AMS
