Srinagar: Yasin Malik , Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief was detained on Monday after he tried to march towards Badami Bagh army base in Srinagar.
Malik who had gone into hiding to evade arrest was detained at Budshah Bridge after he lead a march towards the army base.
Reports said that Malik took out a march from Gaw Kadal along with his supporters, including women. As soon as he reached Budshah bridge police swung into action and detained him.
“Police fired tear gas shells to foil the protest,” said a witness, adding that Malik was taken into custody.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called for a three-day shutdown and mourning in Kashmir and urged people to march towards the army base in Badami Bagh in Srinagar on Monday.
Curfew like restrictions are in place in Srinagar in order to prevent the march. Restrictions will remain in force in Ram Munshibagh, Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj and Safa Kadal areas, with partial restrictions in Maisuma and Kralkhud.
Heavy deployment of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are in place in Srinagar’s old city area other areas.
Army on Sunday asked people to avoid the march towards 15 corps headquarters situated at Badami Bagh Cantonment. In a statement, an army spokesperson said Indian Army is always with the people of Kashmir and would foil all such “evil attempts of militant-Separatist-Pakistan nexus to pit the civilian population against the Security Forces.”
Seven civilians were killed after armed forces opened fire on protesters near the site of a gunfight in Kharpora Sarnoo village of Pulwama district on Saturday. Three militants and an army man were killed in the gunfight.
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah while reacting on the Pulwama civilian killings said that it is a massacre and there is no other way to describe it.
Earlier, Abdullah while reacting to the civilian killings had said that it was ‘another blood soaked weekend in Kashmir’
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti while reacting to the civilian killings has said that there would be no probe which would bring back the dead. She also asked that ‘is this what was expected from the Governor rule’?
She also said that no country can win a war by killing its own people.
Poeples’ Conference chief Sajad Lone while reacting on the Pulwama civilian killings said that the administration seriously needs to evaluate the cost of such operations. He added that ‘hope the administration gives up its Rambo mindset.’
Police, in their statement said that they were ‘deeply grieved’ by the loss of civilian lives however claimed that the crowd came ‘dangerously close’ to the gunfight site.
