Protesters in Sopore town pelted stones at PDP leaders

SRINAGAR: Senior leaders and legislators of the Jammu and Kashmir's People's Democratic Party ( PDP) had to beat a hasty retreat when protesters in Sopore town pelted stones at them.

Senior PDP leaders Moulvi Iftekhar Hussain Ansari and Muhammad Dilawar Mir and many legislators of the party reached Krankshivan area of Sopore town Tuesday afternoon to offer condolences to the family of 26-year-old Nazim Rashid, who died in police custody on July 31.

“A crowd of over 700 protesters attacked our cavalcade with stones and shouted slogans against the government and the killers when we reached Sopore this afternoon.

The anger of the mob was basically directed against the administration, but they also said we were part of the same system,” PDP spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said on his return here.

Earlier, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti tried to go to Sopore town on Sunday and Monday, but authorities served her a written restriction order maintaining that her presence in Sopore, where the law and order situation was critical, could result in more trouble. Akhtar said Mehbooba could not go to Sopore Tuesday as she had to rush to Delhi to see her daughter off to the US.

Meanwhile, hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has called for a valley-wide shutdown Wednesday to mount pressure on the government so that those responsible for the Sopore youth's death in custody are brought to justice.