Clashes in Srinagar during stir against court verdict on Malik

HT Correspondent

SRINAGAR: Clashes erupted between supporters of Yasin Malik and security forces in Srinagar on Wednesday after a Delhi court sentenced the Kashmiri separatist leader to life imprisonment in a 2017 terror funding case.

Protests against the court’s verdict erupted in Maisuma – Malik’s native place, a short distance from Lal Chowk – as his supporters and relatives arrived at his house and shouted slogans demanding his release. Several parts of the city, meanwhile, observed a shutdown against the verdict. As the crowd at Malik’s house increased, police and personnel belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force wearing anti-riot gear arrived at the spot.

According to police officials familiar with the matter, the protesters took out a march around the area and tried to move towards Maisuma Chowk when they clashed with security forces. Some of them pelted stones at the security forces who fired tear smoke shells to disperse the crowd.

However, there was no report of any injury, the officials said.

“Yasin Malik is a political prisoner and this case is all about politics… he is being punished for pursuing the aspirations of a majority of the people in Kashmir,” one of the neighbours said on condition of anonymity.

Mobile internet services were suspended in some parts of the city while additional forces were deployed across Srinagar. Police also deployed drone cameras to monitor the crowd outside Malik’s house.

HT reached out to Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar for a comment but did not get one immediately.

The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, meanwhile, termed “unfortunate” the punishment awarded to Malik and said it is a “setback” to the efforts for peace. J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina welcomed the Delhi court’s order, saying Malik “deserved it for the sins committed against the people and the country”