Shia mourners wounded, arrested in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 28: Dozens of Shia mourners were wounded as police resorted to baton-charge and lobbed teargas shells to prevent them from taking out a procession on the eighth Muharram here today.

Scores of mourners, including JKLF leader Javed Ahmed Mir, were arrested by police here for violating the prohibitory orders.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has imposed a ban on Muharram processions in Srinagar city after militancy erupted in the Kashmir valley in 1989.

Former moderate Hurriyat chairman and top Shia cleric Maulana Abbas Ansari had been placed under house arrest by the authorities since last evening. He was scheduled to lead a procession from Guru Bazar to Dalgate and address the mourners at the Pratap Park here.

Several hundred Shia Muslims gathered at Lal Chowk here this morning to take out a Muharram procession to Hyder Hall at Dalgate.

Police used batons and lobbed teargas shells to chase away the mourners, sparking off clashes.

The mourners later regrouped and marched toward Dalgate. Scores of mourners were wounded in police action.

Pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik had recently announced that the volunteers of his group would provide security to the Muharram procession.

''Anybody who dares to disrupt the Muharram procession will have to face severe consequences,'' he threatened.

Meanwhile, state Finance and Planning Minister Tariq Hameed Karra toured dozens of Shia-dominated areas, including Zadibal, Hassanabad, Kathidarwaza, Aliabad, Lawapora, Khushpora and Chaki Hassibhat, here last evening to take stock of the arrangements made by the administration for the holy month of Muharram.

Meanwhile, reports of small Muharram processions were received from several Shia-dominated areas in the Kashmir valley.

UNI