By Sheikh Imran Bashir,Agence India Press,
Srinagar: With the death of 55-year-old Ghulam Nabi Mir, Pampore area of South Kashmir, reportedly beaten by security forces on 7 October, died in premier hospital SKIMS Friday, taking the death toll to 111 in the last four-month-long unrest. Elsewhere a separatist sponsored strike coupled with curfew paralysed the life across the valley.
Police said Mir died in SKIMS in Srinagar this morning. “We have registered a case under FIR number 177 of 2010 under section 307 of RPC on 9th of October after Mir’s family alleged that he was severely beaten by security forces,” a police spokesman said.
When the word about the death of Mir spread hundreds of people from Samboora, Namblabal and other areas of Pampore staged protest demonstrations. People were chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans marched to the residence of Mir.
Police and CRPF tried to stop the people that led to minor clashes between protesters and men in uniform.
Reports from North Kashmir said people staged a pro-freedom demonstration in Baramulla town. A massive procession was taken out in the town after Friday prayers. Protesters raising pro-freedom slogans were marching through the town when this report was filed.
JKLF chairman Yasin Malik,was arrested by police on his way to Hajin areas of Bandipora. According to the reports, Malik was on way to Hajjin. He and his associates were lodged in Sumbal Police Station.
Authorities imposed curfew in parts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Pulwama and Kupwara districts of Kashmir Valley.
“Curfew has been imposed in five police station areas of Srinagar as a precautionary measure,” a police spokesman said.
Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal and Maharaj Gunj police station areas in the city were brought under curfew in the wee hours.
Curfew was also imposed in Pattan, Delina, Palahalan, Sopore, and Baramulla district headquarter town in north Kashmir, the spokesman added.
Kupwara, Kralpora, Tregam, Handwara, Chottipora and Kulangam in Kupwara district were also placed under similar restrictions.
In Srinagar, authorities on Friday placed Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Chairman of moderate Hurriyat under house arrest, Mirwaiz’s close aide Shahid-ul-Islam told Agence India Press.
He said that a huge contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF troopers cordoned off Mirwaiz’s Nageen’s residence this morning and informed him that he could not move out.
Mirwaiz was scheduled to visit shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-din-Wali at Chrar-Sharief in central Kashmir today.
Due to curfew people could not offer Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid in old city as authorities imposed strict curfew to thwart protests.
Locals told Agence India Press over on phone that scores of police and paramilitary troopers had laid a siege around the Masjid since morning and had sealed all the roads.
All the schools, business establishments, government offices were closed and traffic was off the roads.