Roads sealed, Muharram march thwarted in Valley

SRINAGAR: It was another day to stay indoors for Srinagar’s 1.5 million population in the face of a security clampdown.

Thousands of local policemen and Central armed police forces personnel in riot gear on Tuesday enforced the curfew-like restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital to thwart attempts by Shia mourners to take out Zuljinah processions to mark Yaum-e-Ashoor or the anniversary of the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussein and his 71 family members and companions in the battle of Karbala (Iraq) in 680.

The security forces had sealed roads overnight by laying Concertina wires and placing “bunker vehicles” in their middle to prevent people from coming out of their homes. Curfew-like restrictions are being imposed on some other major cities and towns of the Valley also.

In Kashmir Valley, an official ban remains in force on organising mourning rallies and processions along select traditional routes on the 8th and 10th day of Muharram, the first month of Islamic calendar, mainly in Srinagar ever since the separatist campaign became violent way back in 1989.

Only small mourning rallies and processions with certain restrictions would be permitted in the areas having sizable Shia populations including at Imam Barahs or the places where functions connected with Muharram are held by them traditionally.

However, this was for the first time that no Zuljinah and other tazia processions were allowed at most places across the Valley. The authorities said the restrictions are part of their effort to prevent breach of peace and any harm coming to the lives of common people.

The curbs are, however, being seen by local watchers in the backdrop of persisting tensions in the Valley set off by the Centre’s August 5 move, stripping J&K of its constitutional special status and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories.