Protests erupt in J&K against anti-Islam video

Srinagar  :  Spontaneous protests erupted in Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley Tuesday as a strike called against an anti-Islam video affected normal life with markets, educational institutions and commercial establishments shut and public transport remaining off the roads.

Attendance in banks, post offices and government offices was low because of the non-availability of public transport in the city and other major towns of the Valley.

Youth pelted stones on skeletal transport in parts of the old city in Srinagar to enforce the shutdown called by local traders, transporters and some religious groups with the support of separatists and the Kashmir Bar Association.

The shutdown has been supported by senior separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Muhammad Nayeem Khan. The local bar association has also supported the protest shutdown.

Work in various courts was also affected.

Dozens of people shouted slogans against the US and Israel. They took out processions burning old tyres on the streets in Safa Kadal, Nawa Bazaar, Babadem and some other parts in the old city.

Protestors shouted pro-Islam and anti-US slogans in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town and south Kashmir Pampore town.

Protests against the anti-Islam video were also reported from the north Kashmir Kangan town in Ganderbal district.

“Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed to maintain order in the city have been ordered to act with restraint while dealing with these protests,” a senior police officer said here.

There have been widespread protests during the last seven days in the Valley against the blasphemous video which depicts the Prophet of Islam in poor light.

The video which had been uploaded on YouTube has since been blocked by various Internet search engines on the request of the union telecom ministry.