The Asian Age

VALLEY SHUTS DOWN TO MARK BUTT’S DEATH ANNIVERSAR­Y

◗ A report said that a youth was injured after Army personnel opened fire on protesters after they came under stone pelting in Barthipora village

- AGE CORRESPOND­ENT

Kashmir Valley was shut again on Sunday to commemorat­e the death anniversar­y of Muhammad Maqbool Butt, co- founder of proindepen­dence Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front ( JKNLF).

Butt was hanged in Tihar jail on February 11, 1984, more than sixteen years after a court in Srinagar had sentenced him to death on charges of murdering an Indian intelligen­ce official, Amar Chand.

The J& K police and the CRPF enforced a security clampdown in central Srinagar areas to hold back protests. Shutdown was also observed in the highway town of Banihal in Jammu region.

Kashmir Valley was shut again on Sunday, this time to commemorat­e the death anniversar­y of Muhammad Maqbool Butt, co- founder of pro- independen­ce Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front ( JKNLF).

Butt was hanged in Tihar jail on February 11, 1984, more than 16 years after a court in Srinagar had sentenced him to death on charges of murdering an Indian intelligen­ce official Amar Chand way back in 1966.

While the shutdown called by “Joint Resistance Leadership” ( JRL), an alliance of key separatist leaders, brought life to a standstill in most parts of the Valley, the J& K police and CRPF enforced a security clampdown in central Srinagar areas to hold back protests. Shutdown was also observed in the highway town of Banihal.

The security forces also foiled a march by JKLF activists on the summer headquarte­rs of the United Nations’ Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan, where they had planned to submit a memorandum demanding return of Butt’s mortal remains. Butt was buried within the jail premises after the hanging.

A report from southern Shopian said that a youth was injured after Army personnel opened fire on protesters after they came under stone pelting in Barthipora village of the district. The injured youth has been identified as Aadil Ahmed Wagay, a resident of Shopian’s Nadpora village. He received a bullet wound in his right leg and his condition is stable, police sources said.

 ?? — AP ?? A supporter of All- Parties Hurriyat Conference is detained by the police during a protest on the death anniversar­y of separatist leader Maqbool Bhat in Srinagar on Sunday.
— AP A supporter of All- Parties Hurriyat Conference is detained by the police during a protest on the death anniversar­y of separatist leader Maqbool Bhat in Srinagar on Sunday.

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