'Gawkadal firing reinforces why Kashmir has to be freed of guns'

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the Gawkadal firing incident of 1990 reinforced why "the valley has to be freed of violence and guns".

"Though violence levels are at a record low, memories of incidents like Gawkadal reinforce why Kashmir has to be freed of violence and guns," Omar wrote on a micro-blogging site.

"Today marks the anniversary of a very dark day in the recent history of Kashmir. The Gawkadal killings symbolise much of what went wrong (in Kashmir)," he wrote.

On that day, CRPF personnel opened firing on a large procession at Gawkadal in the heart of the city during protests against alleged molestation of women by the security forces in many parts.

While official death toll in the incident was put at 28, human rights activists claim that at least 50 persons were killed in the incident.

Separatist groups have called for a general strike in Gawkadal and adjoining areas today to pay tributes to those who were killed in the incident.