By Is’haq Bhat, Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Police foiled Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front march to United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) on Friday and detained its dozens of supporters including its Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik.
The march was called by JKLF demanding return of mortal remains of JKLF founder, Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged to death in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail Feb 11, 1984.
After Friday prayers, JKLF supporters led by its Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik took out a procession from Maisuma and started to march towards UNMOGIP.
However, the security forces intercepted them near Badshah Chowk. They (security forces) arrested Yasin Malik and few other leaders including, Mohammad Ashraf and Noor Mohammad Kalwal.
In retaliation, youths pelted stones at the security forces and led clashes.
Police used baton and smoke shells to disperse protestors. Eye witnesses said that six youths sustained injuries during the clashes. “five police men including one selection grade constable and four constables were injured in stone pelting at Maisuma Chowk,” a police spokesperson told Agence India Press.
Police also claimed that they exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the situation. “All of the injured were rushed to Police Hospital Srinagar, where from constable Shabir Ahmad was referred to Shari-e-Kashmir Hospital Srinagar for further treatment,” he added.
“Today our protest and assemblies all over the world elaborate that the aim which India attempted to silence the voice for freedom is not met with India. We the people of Jammu and Kashmir want to pledge on this occasion that the torch for the freedom lit by our Father of Nation Martyr Maqbool Bhat and subsequently carried forward by his colleagues and comrades will taken to the desired destination,” senior JKLF leader said.
“Today on 28th Martyrdom anniversary of our Father of Nation Maqbool Bhat, we protest and demand to the United Nations to force India to hand over the mortal remains of Martyr Bhat to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, so that it is buried with honor and respect at Martyr’s Graveyard at Eidgah Srinagar,” he added.
“Even the mortal remains of our beloved leader were not handed over to his family and it still remains in the custody of Indian government at the same jail. This is the greatest human rights violation as every human deserve a proper burial after his death,” JKLF memorandum stated which was supposed to be handed over at UNMOGIP, “Twenty eight years since Kashmir’s first dreamer for an independent nation was sent to gallows, his dream, his prophesy, and his legacy lives on. The government of India has hoped that martyr Maqbool Butt will be forgotten with the passage of time, but he is remembered always by every Kashmiri in every part of the world,” it further stated.
The JKLF had also called for a shutdown across the Kashmir Valley on February 11, to commemorate the death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat.