Omar defends calling in Army; curfew reimposed
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took full responsibility for calling in the Armyin an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN on Saturday. Omar says Kashmir is by and large under control, butthe Army will be kept standby for some more days.
In his first interview after the violent protests began, the chief minister said the Army's presence in the Valley was very much required to enforce curfew. "I wanted to enforce curfew strictly and the Army was used only as a deterrent," said Omar.
"Army was called in with a specific purpose and it was never used in anti-militancy operations," Omar said further, adding the Army will be present in the Valley till at least 13th of July although the situation is, by and large, peaceful in Kashmir now. The proposed all-party meeting on Monday will go on irrespective of the boycott by the PDP, Omar made clear. While admitting that his chips are down, Omar said he's not out yet.
Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the main Opposition party PDP, says her party will boycott the all-party meet called by the chief minister and she will only come for talks if the Prime Minister invites them.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah met the Prime Minister and Home Minister in New Delhi in a bid to end the crisis. Curfew was reimposed in Maisuma, Anantnag and Pulwama towns after stone-pelting mobs clashed with security forces.
Abdullah discussed measures to resolve the crisis that rocked the Valley following protests against killing of civilians in firing by security forces in last fortnight.
While a Congress delegation is likely to leave for Kashmir to take stock of the situation, the party is in a damage control mode, distancing itself from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's decision to bring in the Army.
Curfew was lifted in Srinagar on Friday night after four days to allow people to offer prayers on the occasion of Meraaj-e-Alam at the Hazratbal shrine. But across the Valley, curfew has now been reimposed in Anantnag, Baramullah, Sopore and Maisuma.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the chief minister, in consultation with senior police officials and Cabinet ministers. Restrictions on the movement of the media have also been lifted.
"Miscreants resorted to stone pelting in Maisuma and in Anantnag and Pulwama during curfew relaxation.Curfew was reimposed at these places," a senior police officer said.
Markets remained closed and public buses did not ply in most parts of Srinagar city. However, people poured out of their homes to buy essential items and private transport plied on the roads.
More clashes broke out between stone pelters and police in Nowhatta in downtown Srinagar along with Pulwama, Kupwara, Baramulla and Dalgate. At least 30 people including security personnel were left injured.
Additional paramilitary forces arrived last evening and were immediately deployed in troubled areas.
The authorities imposed a curfew on the region on Tuesday and ordered the Army to take control of Srinagar the next day -- for the first time in almost two decades -- to quell huge protests.
At least 15 people, mostly protesters, have died in clashes with police in the past three weeks, amid the biggest demonstrations against Indian rule in two years across Muslim-majority Kashmir. Many local people blame security forces for the deaths.
Security developments in Srinagar during the religious ceremony could affect efforts by India and Pakistan to revive a peace process that India suspended after the attacks in Mumbai in 2008 that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
In another incident in Kakapora area of Pulwama district, 21 persons including 16 security personnel were injured when a group hurled stones at a security camp and a police post.
The incidents took place even as the Jammu and Kashmir police cracked down on stone pelters during the night and today as well and arrested nearly two dozen people.
They included Mehraj-ud-din Bhat, Mohammed Ashraf Laya and Yusuf Mujahid -- all activists of Hurriyat Conference faction led by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani.The three were charged with instigating mobs to turn violent.
Announcements were made locally by the police informing people that they can go for Friday prayers. This period passed off peacefully without any trouble in the city.
There were sporadic clashes in Tregham in Kupwara, old Baramulla town and in Dalgate which was brought under control by a mild cane-charging by the police.
Army, which had staged flag marches in Srinagar, did not repeat the exercise Saturday morning. The district administration asked the Army to remain on stand by for deployment in case of an emergency.
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