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Protests rock Amarnath shrine route
Unruly protesters smashed windshields of vehicles carrying Hindu pilgrims in north Kashmir as demonstrations continued on Tuesday in Srinagar.
- IANS
- Published: 00:01 June 25, 2008
Srinagar/Jammu: Unruly protesters smashed windshields of vehicles carrying Hindu pilgrims in north Kashmir as demonstrations continued on Tuesday in Srinagar, the state's summer capital, against the transfer of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
Angry protesters at Beehama Chowk in Ganderbal district pelted stones at vehicles, including those carrying pilgrims to the Baltal base camp in north Kashmir en route to the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir. Hundreds of buses were among vehicles caught in the gridlock.
The mob also smashed window panes and furniture at a town hall, a cafeteria and a bank in Ganderbal town. The police fired several rounds of tear-gas shells and resorted to a baton charge to disperse the protesters.
The Srinagar-Baltal route was closed following protests at many places along the north Kashmir route to the shrine, which houses a "lingam", a stalagmite structure seen as an icon of Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu Trinity.
Life remained paralysed at other places in the valley as scores of protesters took to the streets blocking traffic and shutting educational institutions and businesses in Srinagar city.
Victim of firing buried
Meanwhile, thousands of mourners attended the funeral of Feroze Ahmad (39), who was allegedly killed in firing by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the Nowhatta area of the old city on Monday evening while participating in protests against the land transfer.
The pallbearers also shouted slogans against the government and the SASB as the funeral procession proceeded to the martyrs' graveyard at Eidgah in the old city area, where Ahmad was buried.
The SASB was entrusted the task of building temporary facilities for pilgrims.
But critics of the move, including mainstream and separatist political parties, allege that the shrine board would be in a position to raise permanent structures to settle non-Kashmiris.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose senior leaders met here at the residence of the party patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Monday evening, has given an ultimatum of June 30 to the government to revoke the order.
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