SRINAGAR: Restrictions remained in force in Srinagar and a few other parts of Kashmir for the fifth consecutive day on Friday to foil any attempt at protests taking place against the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The police and paramilitary personnel are maintaining a tight vigil on the movement of people. The deployment of police and paramilitary personnel has been strengthened in Shia-dominated areas.
In view of the improvement of the situation, the authorities have removed tin sheets that were placed in areas around the historic Ghanta Ghar in the city centre, Lal Chowk, to restrict public movement.
The area leading to Ghanta Ghar was sealed with tin sheets by security personnel after massive protests in the area against the killing of Khamenei on Sunday.
The private vehicles, three wheelers, two wheelers and passenger vehicles are plying on some routes after the restrictions were eased due to improvement in the situation.
There were also stone pelting incidents and clashes between protestors and security personnel in some areas in Kashmir.
It was the first time that such large-scale protests and incidents of stone pelting and firing of tear smoke shells by security personnel were reported in the Valley after Article 370 abrogation by the Centre on August 5, 2019.
The security and intelligence officials are keeping a close watch on the situation in the Valley and have taken many security measures, including the screening of social media, to prevent the situation from worsening.
Meanwhile, an influential Shia leader and PDP MLA, Aga Muntazir, has said about 100-200 youngsters have been detained by police in Srinagar following protests and clashes after the killing of the Iranian supreme leader in a joint US-Israeli air strike.
Aga Muntazir told TNIE that the detained youngsters are lodged in Nowgam police station, HMT police station and Central Jail in Srinagar.
Muntazir was among the religious leaders and civil society members who interacted with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Wednesday.
Muntazir, who defeated NC’s Aga Mehmood from the Budgam bypolls last year, said during their interaction with the CM, he and other religious leaders expressed concern over the arrests.
“We told the CM that about 100-200 youngsters have been arrested and FIRs have been registered against them in different police stations. We have also come to know that a few of them have been booked under the stringent UAPA,” the MLA said.
"We demanded that all the arrested youngsters be released and that cases against them be withdrawn. The CM assured them of taking up the issue with the higher authorities to ensure the release of the arrested youngsters," he added.
“The CM told us that since the Home department is not in his domain, he will talk personally with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on the issue. So far, none of the arrested youngsters has been released, and there has been no follow-up," he said.
He cautioned that if arrested youngsters are not released by tomorrow, they would chalk out a future strategy after a religious congregation in Budgam on Friday.
The religious congregation will coincide with the burial of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Muntazir cautioned that all options, including street protests and judicial course, are open and they would take a final call.
“We will ensure that all the arrested persons are released. Our only demand is the release of all arrested youngsters and withdrawal of cases against them,” he said.
"If need arises, we would also meet Lt Manoj Sinha,” Muntazir said.
