Police burst teargas shells to disperse demonstrators in Srinagar

Srinagar, Feb 15 (UNI) Police burst teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse demonstrators at Batmaloo where a complete shutdown crippled life today.

Led by Muslim League chief Mushtaq-ul-Islam, senior Hurriyat (Geelani) leader Masarat Aalam and Muslim Khawateen Markaz president Yasmeen Raja, hundreds of people today took to streets at Batmaloo protesting against fake encounter killings, alleged Human Rights (HR) violations, Israel and opening of wine shops.

The demonstraters, raising slogans against HR violations, also demanded immediate closure of a liquor shop in the area. They were also raising slogans against Israel for starting construction work near al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

When the agitators were proceeding towards the general bus stand, police swung into action and tried to stop them. However, when they refused to disperse, police fired teargas shells and resorted to baton charge.

Shops and other business establishments in entire Batmaloo remained closed.

Mushtaq-ul-Islam alleged that opening of a liquor shop in the area, once the hub of militants, was a ''deep rooted conspiracy'' against Muslims.

The wine shops and cinema halls were closed in 1989 in the wake of eruption of militancy. However, two cinema halls--Broadway in the cantonment area and Neelam cinema near the heavily guarded civil secretariat--re-opened in 1996, he said.

A number of liquor shops also re-opened at Alochi Bagh in the uptown, Boulevard on the bank of Dal Lake and Cantonment area Sonawar. However, the Alochi bagh shop was closed following massive protests by locals and a militant attack.

UNI