Funeral of Kashmiri student Mudasir Kamran Malla. Photo: PTI
Srinagar, Mar 5 (PTI): Normal life was hit for the second consecutive day today due to a march called by a group of separatists to the residence of a Kashmiri student, who was found hanging in his hostel room in Hyderabad.
Authorities have deployed police and paramilitary personnel in large numbers in south Kashmir’s Pulwama town, the native area of Mudasir Kamran, (25) who was found hanging from the ceiling of his hostel room on March 2, to thwart any attempts by the separatists to assemble there, official sources said.
While the situation across the Kashmir Valley is peaceful, police has sealed all roads leading to Parigam, the ancestral village of the deceased youth, who was pursuing Ph.D in English from the Hyderabad varsity.
Shops, banks, petrol pumps and other business establishments remained closed due to the march called by Majlis Mashawarat, a separatist forum that came into being following the execution of Guru.
While most public transport remained off roads, private cars, cabs and autorickshaws were plying on the Valley roads.
Schools and colleges remained closed on account of the ongoing winter vacations. Although the educational institutions in Kashmir open on March 1 every year after three months of winter vacations, the authorities this year extended the vacations till March 11 due to cold conditions.
The separatist groups and family of the deceased youth have ruled out suicide.
“Kamran was murdered for leading funeral prayers for Guru,” the statement said alleging the police were misleading the people about the circumstances of his death.
The amalgamation is also demanding return of mortal remains of Guru and JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.
Bhat was hanged and buried inside Tihar Jail on February 11, 1984, after he was convicted for murdering a police officer.
Both factions of Hurriyat Conference, JKLF, Kashmir Bar Association and Dukhtaran-e-Millat are constituents of the Majlis which was formed in the wake of Guru’s execution inside Tihar Jail on February 9.
Meanwhile, two persons were injured when police used batons and fired teargas shells to disperse protesters who tried to march towards Pulwama township of south Kashmir.
A large group of people, led by several separatist leaders, assembled at Chinkral Mohalla area of the city and tried to march towards Pulwama, the native town of Kamran.
Police swung into action and chased away the protesters using batons and tear smoke shells, sources said.
Two persons were hurt in the incident, the sources said adding several persons were taken into preventive custody.
