Srinagar: At least twenty mourners, who were a part of a Muharram procession heading towards an Imambara, in central Kashmir’s Budgam district were injured after police reportedly resorted to aerial firing and tear-gas shelling on the crowd.
Eyewitnesses told Free Press Kashmir that incident took place in Hurroo village of Budgam, when a procession of mourners from Budgam was moving towards an Imambara.
“Personnel of Jammu and Kashmir police, in order to stop the gathering from moving further, fired in air and used tear gas shells on the people.”
The incident resulted in injuries to 20 mourners, who were subsequently taken to multiple medical facilities for the treatment.
“The procession was following proper COVID protocols and SOPs during the march; however, police while dispersing the mourners swung into the action and used tear gas shells on us,” said a mourner who was part of the procession.
In this regard, a police official while confirming the incident to Free Press Kashmir, said that they swung into the action as the procession was violating the lockdown norms.
“We had orders from District Magistrate as well to stop the procession and when they didn’t stop, we resorted to tear-gas shelling in order to put the situation on control,” he said.
Earlier in a day, two persons were arrested by JK police for raising “pro-Azadi” slogans during a Muharram Procession in outskirts of Srinagar, police said on Wednesday.
The arrests, police said were made on surfacing of a video in social media in which mourners were found chanting pro-Azadi slogans in a Jaloos-e-Aza (Mauharram Procession).
“Police station Parimpora has taken cognizance. The police has acted swiftly and identified the location which is situated at the end of Hokersar Nowpora Bund, about 2.5 kms inside the Hokersar road,”a police official said.
“In this regard a formal case has been registered under FIR No 177/2020 U/S 13 ULA(P) Act ,143,188,269 IPC against the above accused,” the official said, adding, “Midnight raids were conducted in which two persons have been arrested and further arrests are expected in the said case and the investigation is going on.”
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