National

March to Bandipore foiled

SRINAGAR: Srinagar and most parts of Kashmir on Monday wore a deserted look in the wake of a call for shutdown and poll boycott by separatists and stringent security measures taken by the authorities.

Thousands of police and CRPF personnel were deployed in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir to prevent people from taking out a planned long march towards Bandipore, which went to the polls in the first phase.

The Coordination Committee, spearheading the poll boycott campaign, had given a call for the march. All the roads leading to Bandipore from Srinagar and Baramulla had been sealed and civilians were not allowed to enter. Only journalists and those with authorisation letters were allowed to enter the district.

Policemen chased people back home and patrolled the deserted streets to foil any attempt by separatists to assemble for the march.

Shops, business establishments, educational institutions and government offices remained closed and traffic was also off the roads. Due to suspension of traffic, newspapers could not reach any town beyond Srinagar.

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and all separatist leaders have been under house arrest for the last several days to foil their anti-election campaign. “They have no right to ask people not to vote” said a senior police officer.

The Hurriyat leaders have condemned the government action to prevent them from carrying out their programme.

The separatists have rejected the elections and called for protests on election days, besides a total shutdown to draw the attention of the global community to the Kashmir issue.

Meanwhile National Conference president Omar Abdullah has termed the good voter turnout during the first phase as a positive indication of a better future for the State.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu