Hundreds of policemen and CRPF jawans in full battle gear on Tuesday enforced an undeclared curfew in parts of Jammu and Kashmiri’s summer capital Srinagar as tensions over the gutting of a revered Sufi shrine in a devastating fire a day ago persisted. At places in the town, groups of youth clashed with police which, however, exercised restraint in dealing with the situation.
Elsewhere in the Valley of Kashmir, a mourning shutdown called by various religious and political groups brought life to a standstill. However, the hundreds of vehicles carrying Amarnath pilgrims to the base-camps of Pahalgam and Baltal continued moving without any hindrance. (Two more pilgrims, identified as 36-year-old Rajbeer Singh from Haryana and 60-year-old Geeta, wife of Surendra Murthi from Bengaluru, died following cardiac arrest at Baltal, raising the toll to three. On Sunday, a 24-year-old yatri had died at the base-camp also because of heart failure).
On Monday, eighty people, including 35 policemen and fire service staff were injured in clashes in Srinagar, triggered by anger at the perceived delayed response of firefighters in battling the blaze. Several separatist leaders and religious heads continue to be under pre-emptive house arrest.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah cut short his visit to London and flew back to Srinagar and drove straight to the gutted shrine that stood in the city’s Khanyar area in honour and memory of the 11th century saint Sheikh Abd al-Qadir Jeelani, who is buried in Baghdad, Iraq. He announced the place of worship will be restored to its original glory and the best possible expertise engaged in the process of restoration. Officials said security restrictions under Section 144 Crpc were imposed in areas falling under six police stations of Khanyar, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj, Rainawari, Safakadal and Kralkhud till further orders. “The step has been taken in view of the law-and-order situation in Srinagar district and to avoid breach of peace and tranquillity as well as damage to life and property,” an official spokesperson said.
Mr Abdullah, while speaking to reporters at the shrine, renewed his appeal to the people to maintain peace, exercise restraint and exhibit highest degree of tolerance. “The entire state is anguished and is in a state of mourning,” he said urging the people to “beware of divisive forces whose sole objective is to disrupt peace and harmony.” He further said, “All of us who regard and respect the divine and revered shrine should stand for peace and tolerance.”
Kashmir’s grand mufti Bashiruddin has called for “Khanyar chalo” on Friday and said that the people would offer the weekly congregational prayers beside the gutted shrine. The authorities are likely to place the town under curfew to prevent the assembly. Meanwhile, a local couple and a CRPF jawan were injured on Tuesday in the town of Sopore, 48-km northwest of here, when suspected militants tossed a hand grenade to target a CRPF foot patrol.