Indian-controlled Kashmir capital shuts against police action on mosque, university

Normal life in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, on Saturday remained disrupted over the alleged desecration of Jamia Masjid (grand mosque) by government forces and police action on students at University of Kashmir.

The protest call in the city was given by Jamia Masjid committee headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the head priest.

The call was supported by various trade bodies, separatist groups including both faction Hurriyat (freedom) conference and pro-independent group Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), among others.

On Friday, Indian police and paramilitary troopers of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) fired several tear smoke shells targeting devotees at Jamia mosque during clashes in the area.

The shells, according to locals, landed inside the mosque and caused a lot of inconvenience to the devotees including women. The devotees had gathered inside the mosque to offer Friday afternoon congregational prayers.

Shops, businesses, educational institutions and private offices remained closed in the wake of the protest call, and public transport was off the roads.

The shutdown also affected work in government-run offices and banks.

Farooq condemned the police action and described it as an act of "state sponsored terrorism."

"Police violated the basic norms of morality by entering Jamia Masjid and by this they desecrated the sanctity of the mosque, which has caused great distress and suffering among devotees," he said.

"It is highly unfortunate that on every Friday, administration deliberately deploys hundreds of police and CRPF men outside Jamia Masjid and the deployment becomes major cause of hostile situation in the area," he added.

Authorities have placed Farooq under house arrest and deployed contingents of police and paramilitary at sensitive locations to stop anti-India protests.

Farooq, according to his spokesman, was scheduled to lead protests against the "desecration" of the mosque.

Authorities usually place separatist leaders under arrest ahead of protest demonstrations, fearing their presence would intensify protests and spill them to others places.

Meanwhile, at University of Kashmir in Srinagar, police resorted to baton charging and fired warning shots to chase students on Thursday, who were demanding release of a student, Muzamil Dar, arrested by police.

The students alleged that Dar was arrested for leading an anti- Yoga protest inside the campus. However, police said Dar was arrested for having alleged militant links.

The university authorities have suspended class work for two days to subdue protests besides asking boarders including women students to leave the campus sine die.

The alleged mosque desecration and police action on university students have evoked strong condemnation from religious and political groups.

A separatist movement and a guerrilla war challenging New Delhi 's rule are going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endi