Clashes erupted between supporters of Yasin Malik and security forces in Srinagar on Wednesday after a Delhi court sentenced the Kashmiri separatist leader to life imprisonment in a 2017 terror funding case.
Protests against the court’s verdict erupted in Maisuma – Malik’s native place, a short distance from Lal Chowk – as his supporters and relatives arrived at his house and shouted slogans demanding his release. Several parts of the city, meanwhile, observed a shutdown against the verdict. As the crowd at Malik’s house increased, police and personnel belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force wearing anti-riot gear arrived at the spot.
According to police officials familiar with the matter, the protesters took out a march around the area and tried to move towards Maisuma Chowk when they clashed with security forces. Some of them pelted stones at the security forces who fired tear smoke shells to disperse the crowd.
However, there was no report of any injury, the officials said.
“Yasin Malik is a political prisoner and this case is all about politics… he is being punished for pursuing the aspirations of a majority of the people in Kashmir,” one of the neighbours said on condition of anonymity.
Mobile internet services were suspended in some parts of the city while additional forces were deployed across Srinagar. Police also deployed drone cameras to monitor the crowd outside Malik’s house.
HT reached out to Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar for a comment but did not get one immediately.
{{/usCountry}}HT reached out to Kashmir IGP Vijay Kumar for a comment but did not get one immediately.
{{/usCountry}}The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) termed the life imprisonment given to Yasin Malik unfortunate and a setback to the efforts for peace.
“We are afraid that this will further compound the uncertainties in the region and only fuel more alienation and separatist feelings. The NIA court has delivered its verdict, but not justice,” PAGD spokesperson MY Tarigami said in a statement.
“The triumphalism being displayed by the BJP and the corporate media is bound to prove counterproductive. Meanwhile, we suggest that Yaseen Malik should avail all legal opportunities to contest this verdict,” Tarigami added.
Malik being punished for his political beliefs: Hurriyat
Hurriyat chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is under house arrest since 2019, in a statement said that Yasin Malik since 1994 had pursued peaceful and democratic means of conflict resolution. “He is a strong votary of dialogue and negotiations between the concerned parties to the Kashmir conflict, people of J&K, India and Pakistan, and has been relentlessly and selflessly seeking its resolution,” the statement said. “Yet, he was arrested, shifted to Tihar and has now been convicted in invented cases under draconian laws, when actually he is being punished for his political beliefs on the J&K dispute and for representing the sentiments of its people,” Mirwaiz added.