news details |
|
|
| Angry people refuse to pray in shrine | | Hazratbal crisis | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Aug 19: No prayers could be offered in Hazratbal shrine for the sixth consecutive day today as the people are demanding shifting of police barracks from the shrine complex however a reluctant administration is yet to respond.
The District Magistrate, Mairaj-ud-Din Kakroo, SSP Srinagar Ashiq Bukhari and other officials visited the area yesterday to assess the situation. The people put forth their demands which include removal of police barracks from the shrine complex, transfer of police companies involved in beating of devotees on Saturday and minimal deployment of police to man the shrine.
The talks apparently failed. The SSP refused to shift the police barracks. However, the District Magistrate sought time to `fix the issue'. The people refused to offer prayers in the shrine when police men beat pilgrims on Saturday.
According to sources, the officials have agreed to reduce the number of police men but the locals have rejected the offer. They believe there is no need of having two companies of police within the shrine complex.
Tomorrow (August 20) is a Friday and observers are apprehensive of some troubles as the large numbers of devotees come to offer prayers in shrine. More than 2 lakh people throng the Shrine on Fridays for congregational prayers. The administration, therefore, have a few hours to act. Before congregational prayers, the barracks need to be shifted.
The Hazratbal shrine has been the centre stage of Kashmir politics for several decades. The shrine houses the Holy relic of Prophet Muhammad and is, therefore, held in high esteem by the people of Kashmir. On December 27, 1963 the relic was stolen. It created a stir in Kashmir. The then Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru was shaken. He sent a special intelligence officer to tackle the situation. When the relic was finally recovered, Nehru called the intelligence sleuth and thanked him for "saving Kashmir for India."
In October 1993, militants entered the shrine to escape arrest by army men who were chasing them. The army laid siege to the shrine which continued for several weeks. The siege triggered massive protests across Kashmir. Around forty persons got killed at Bijbehara in Anantnag district. The erstwhile united Hurriyat was forced to call for indefinite strike.
The siege evoked massive international attention. This is what Kashmir watchers are apprehensive about. "The government will find itself in a tight corner if the barracks are not shifted immediately". |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
