The authorities in Kashmir have decided to impose curfew-like restrictions in sensitive areas of capital Srinagar on Friday, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally. The separatists have announced to hold “solidarity march” on November 6 to commemorate the alleged massacre of thousands of Muslims in Jammu province in 1947. The security has already been beefed up in Valley ahead of Modi’s rally at Sher-e-Kashmir International Cricket Stadium.
Sources said that restrictions would be imposed in jurisdiction of five police stations in sensitive old Srinagar and Maisuma in Civil lines area. The University of Kashmir has announced postponement of all examinations scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
More than a hundred separatist leaders and workers have either been taken into preventive custody or detained at their residences to prevent their programmes ahead of Modi’s proposed visit, described by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as “historic”.
The separatists have announced “Srinagar Million March” on the same day at Tourist Reception Center (TRC) Grounds, a few furlongs away from PM’s venue. However, the arrest spree indicates that separatists would not be allowed to gather at the proposed venue.
On Friday, the separatists have called for a march to exhibit solidarity with the victims of massacre of 1947 in Jammu when thousands of people were allegedly massacred. This, separatists say, drastically altered the demography of Jammu region to the disadvantage of Muslims.
In a statement separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani said that “solidarity March” would be held at Grand Mosque in old Srinagar where separatist “leadership will shed light over the sacrifices of the Jammu Muslims and pass some important directions to the people regarding the proposed grand “Million March” .
Meanwhile, despite inclement weather, hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel continued vigil in and around the Cricket Stadium to prevent any sabotage activity by militants ahead of PM’s rally.