Kashmir shuts on JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat's death anniversary

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu observed complete shutdown on the death anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front founder Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged and secretly buried in Tihar jail on February 11, 1984.

Extra contingents of police and paramilitary forces were deployed in all district centres and sensitive towns and villages, fearing spontaneous protests at multiple places. Change in weather also helped the government to manage the situation, as heavy rains and snowfall deterred many people from coming out of their homes.

Police detained and arrested several JKLF activists who protested in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk. JKLF chairman Yasin Malik has been put under judicial custody in central jail of Srinagar for four days now. The organisation has reiterated the demand of returning mortal remains of Bhat.

In Trehgam, the ancestral village of Bhat, 95 km from Srinagar in north Kashmir, his mother Shahmali Behgum, 85, and her daughter led a torchlight procession on Wednesday night. Shahmali’s three sons, including Bhat were killed in last three decades, while her fourth son has disappeared.

Several internet users expressed solidarity with Bhat’s family and uploaded pictures of Bhat, his family and the ancestral house.

Social media was also abuzz when one of the cartoonists of local newspaper Rising Kashmir claimed that Facebook has removed his cartoon on Bhat’s death anniversary. This was the second time in three days that Facebook had removed his cartoon — the previous one was on the hanging of Afzal Guru — and now the social media network has blocked his page as well.

In Srinagar's downtown, CRPF and police, barricaded roads and concertina wire was spread on all major roads to avoid any movement of transport and people. Curfew like restrictions were imposed in the area. All shops, business establishments and educational institutes remained closed and attendance in government offices was minimal.

All influential pro-freedom leaders were arrested or detained to avoid any protest expressing solidarity with Bhat. Hurriyat and other pro-freedom groups have called for strike on February 11.

Meanwhile, J&K assembly member Engineer Rashid praised students of Jawahar Lal Nehru University in Delhi for expressing solidarity with Bhat and Guru. "Those who raised voice for Kashmiris at JNU are patriotic Indians and know that it is not Kashmiris but illiteracy, poverty and other basic issues that are the real enemies of people of India," said Rashid, who also organized a seminar in Srinagar on Wednesday to commemorate, death anniversaries of Guru and Bhat.