Srinagar, Oct 23 (KNS): Authorities on Tuesday foiled Lal Chowk chalo called by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) by imposing curbs in Lal Chowk and Old city areas here.
JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik had appealed people to observe sit-in protest at Lal Chowk today against the civilian killings in Kulgam on Sunday.
The roads in Lal Chowk were sealed by the authorities since the wee hours of this morning while as forces deployed on the roads were not allowing anyone to move towards Lal Chowk.
Besides, the police and paramilitary troopers deployed on the roads had erected concertina worse on the roads that halted pedestrian as well as vehicular movement in Lal Chowk.
Notably, on Monday evening, city traffic police SSP had issued an advisory, asking commuters to use an alternate route as “the stretch of road from Amira Kadal to Regal Chowk will be blocked for traffic”.
The district administration Srinagar had also imposed restrictions in Srinagar areas falling under the jurisdiction of Shaheed Gunj, Maharaj Gunj, Khanyar, Nowhatta and Rainawari police station while as partial restrictions were imposed in Kral Khud and Maisuma areas.
Witnesses said that a huge contingent of police and paramilitary troopers were deployed in the restriction bound areas since the wee hours of this morning.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq defied the house detention and tried to march towards Lal Chowk to hold sit-in protest called by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) against Kulgam killings.
In a statement to KNS, Hurriyat (M) spokesman said that Mirwaiz while marching towards Lal Chowk along with hundreds of supporters was stopped by police and was arrested & lodged in police station Nigeen.
Mirwaiz in his tweet later said that he was placed under house detention again after he was detained while he defied the detention and tried to march towards Lal Chowk.
Meanwhile, JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik was in the wee hours arrested from Koker Bazar area from where he attempted to take a protest march.
Malik had gone into hiding two days back to lead a protest march today against Kulgam killings. In the wee hours today, he appeared in a local mosque in Koker Bazar area during morning prayers and was detained when he tried to take out a protest march after morning prayers.
JRL has called for a march to Lal Chowk today to protest the killing spree and Kulgam “carnage”.
Seven civilians were killed in a blast at the site of a gunfight in Laroo village of Kulgam on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, a top police official said that restrictions were put in place to thwart protests today while as the situation across the Valley especially in Lal Chowk remained peaceful and under control. (KNS)