To take control of the situation in the restive Kashmir Valley, the state police has arrested dozens of separatist activists and supporting campaigners in series of overnight raids. The authorities alleges that the crackdown is against the troublemakers and mischief-mongers. This followed the Centre’s directive to deal “sternly” with
the “anti-nationals, mischief-mongers and other vested interests” believed to be behind the unrest in the Valley. The “course of action” was assigned to the police and other law enforcing agencies by Union home secretary Gopal K. Pillai who chaired a high-level meeting here late Wednesday evening to review the situation. Official sources said that Mr Pillai asked the officials to ensure that no guilty person be allowed to go scot-free and efforts should be made to ensure safety of innocent civilians.
Simultaneously, pro-freedom slogans and rebellious songs reverberated from mosque loudspeakers and at several places, mainly in downtown Srinagar, hundreds of residents came out on the streets to hold protests after the CRPF and local police personnel had been withdrawn around midnight apparently for safety reasons but were again fanned out with the first light on Thursday.
Similar demonstrations in Batamallo, a city suburb worst hit in Tuesday’s violence, and Bemina area, however, invited action from the security personnel who swung bamboo sticks and fired aerial shots.