Conflict

Clashes outside Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Journalists ‘assaulted’ by armed forces

Srinagar: Clashes between youth and armed forces were reported from the Jamia Masjid area of Srinagar, where Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was scheduled to address the people today.

Mirwaiz, however, was not allowed to leave his house. Hurriyat has claimed that the Mirwaiz is still under house detention.

Hurriyat said that late last night police officials visited the Mirwaiz’s residence to convey to him that he continues to be under house arrest, and will not be allowed to go to Jamia Masjid for Friday prayers and Majlis waz o tableeg today.

“And since early morning additional forces have been deployed outside his house and in the area converting it into a garrison. APHC strongly condemns this authoritarian flip flop of the Government,” a statement read.

Protests erupted in the Jamia Masjid after the prayers, with people demanding the release of Mirwaiz and raising slogans.

Journalists who were covering protests outside Jamia Masjid alleged that they were chased by police personnel and two of them were beaten up.

Shafat Farooq of BBC, and Saaqib Majeed, an independent reporter, claimed that they were chased and physically assaulted by the police.

The police has said that they were “only pushing the journalists back and one of them was mistakenly hit by a gun when it swung from the shoulders of the policeman pushing them away from the spot”.

The police also fired pellets from shotguns on the protestors, however no injury was reported.

 

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