Authorities gear up ahead of 'Jamia Masjid chalo call'

Srinagar, Nov 5 (UNI) The district administration has geared up to meet any eventuality following 'Jamia Masjid chalo call' given by the Coordination Committee (CC) tomorrow.

''We will not allow any unlawful assembly in any part of the city,'' Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) S A Mujtaba told reporters here this afternoon. Asked if the authorities will allow the 'Jamia Masjid chalo march', he said the district administration is yet to take a decision about it.

He, however, made it clear that police will not allow any activity against the law.

Heavy rush, meanwhile, could be seen at vegetable and grocery shops as people had apprehensions that curfew might be imposed in the city to prevent the march.

The government could clamp undeclared curfew across Srinagar, particularly in the down town, to prevent people from going to the historic Masjid, said a group of people purchasing vegetables at the busy Hari Singh High Street this afternoon.

The Kashmir University has also postponed examination which was scheduled for tomorrow, while the School Board of Education has already avoided holding examination tomorrow and on polling days.

A UNI correspondent, who visited the Sher-e-Khas and other down town areas, including Jamia Masjid, saw a large number of security personnel deployed there since early this morning.

A posse of securitymen could also be seen garrisoned in the uptown and civil lines to prevent people from joining the march.

Two attempts to organise a rally at Lal Chowk by the CC had been foiled by the authorities after they imposed curfew in August and October 6.

Lakhs of people joined the Muzafarabad, Edigah, Pampore and TRC chalo marchs during the past three months.

The CC, an alliance of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Dukhtaran-e-Milat, Kashmir Bar Association, Traders and Fruit growers, is demanding among other things, opening of all cross- Line of Control (LoC) routes, release of all detenues, withdrawal of troops and special powers to security forces in the Valley.

Almost all top leadership of the CC had been arrested and majority of them booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

UNI BAS ATI CS1802