Srinagar: Authorities imposed strict restrictions in several parts of Srinagar to prevent Muharram mourners from taking out processions on 8th day of the Islamic calendar on Sunday.
Official sources said that police and paramilitary forces were deployed in large numbers in Lal Chowk and adjoining areas including Maisuma, MA Road and Dalgate as well in downtown areas including Bota Kadal, Alamragri Bazar and Hawal, Eidgah.
They said restrictions were imposed in jurisdictions of 8 police stations of Srinagar city “near the one prohibited route”. “This was done so as to ensure that law and order situation doesn’t arise,” they said.
The security personnel placed concertina wires and stationed mobile bunkers on roads to prevent any movement of people. The restrictions caused a lot of inconvenience to commuters passing through areas under restriction, eyewitnesses said. Later authorities regretted the restrictions and said that the same were placed to prevent “law and order” issues.
Some youth tried to take out the procession in Lal Chowk but they were bundled in already waiting police vehicles. Police said that no teargas shells or other such force was used today.
The authorities had already announced that no Muharram procession will be allowed on 8th Muharram through the city centre.
The announcement by the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar followed a detailed meeting involving all the “field magistrates and police officers” as well as taking into consideration “reports by intelligence agencies.”
“Law & order and Security concern is the top most priority of the Government of the Jammu and Kashmir keeping in view the larger public interest and safety of its citizens,” the deputy commissioner, who is also District Magistrate, had said in the order, adding, “In view of the facts and circumstances read in conjunction with the reports of Intelligence Agencies thereof, more particularly the security concerns of the District Srinagar with respect to the Muharram, the processions therein cannot be allowed on the Gurubazar toward Buchwara (Dalgate) and Abi-Guzar towards Zadibal routes respectively, keeping in mind the public interest, law & order and security.”
Two major processions of 8th and 10th Muharram were banned in 1989 by the then administration. Since then no processions have been allowed till now.
