SRINIGAR, INDIA – Authorities on Sunday tightened a month-long securitylockdown in Indian Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar after breaking upreligious processions by Shiite Muslims who defied a ban.
A military clampdown was imposed in Muslim-majority Kashmir from Aug. 5 toprevent unrest as New Delhi revoked the disputed region’s autonomy, withmobile phone networks and the internet still cut off in all but a fewpockets.
Police drove around the city from early Sunday, announcing throughloudhailers that “residents are informed not to venture out of their homes.
“Strict action under law would be taken against violators,” they added.
Shiite Muslims worldwide stage processions and hold rallies duringMuharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar — which started on Sept.1 this year — to mark the anniversary of the death of a grandson of theProphet Mohammed.
Most such processions have been banned in Indian-administered Kashmir sincethe outbreak of insurgency against New Delhi’s rule in 1989, on groundsthat the rituals could be used to stoke anti-India sentiment.
AFP saw at least two small protests on Sunday morning by between eight to10 Shiite mourners, who were quickly detained and taken away in policevehicles.
Police were also seen hitting the mourners with bamboo sticks.
Witnesses told AFP they saw at least six more similar protests, with policealso detaining the participants.
Locals said the processions have taken on a political aspect this yearafter India’s controversial autonomy decision.
Kashmir, split between India and Pakistan since 1947, has been the sparkfor two major wars and countless clashes between the two nuclear-armedarch-rivals.
Indian-administered Kashmir has seen a decades-old armed rebellion — backedby Pakistan, New Delhi claims — against Indian rule with tens of thousands,mostly civilians, killed.
On Saturday, four local journalists were injured while covering a protestinvolving up to 5,000 demonstrators, one of the biggest gatherings sincethe lockdown was imposed.
One journalist said his camera lens was broken and another had visiblemarks on his body after he was allegedly hit with bamboo sticks by securitypersonnel.
Security forces also fired tear gas and live ammunition in the air.
Authorities had loosened the curfew in parts of Srinagar gradually inrecent weeks but began to enforce it again from Friday.
An AFP reporter said Sunday’s clampdown was one of the tightest since Aug.5. While barricades had been manned by up to three paramilitary troopers,there were now up to 10.
Tensions could further heighten on Tuesday, which is Ashura, the climactic10th day of Moharram.
While the rituals are traditionally marked by Shiite Muslims in theSunni-majority valley, Sunnis told AFP they would take part in processionson Tuesday to show solidarity with their fellow Muslims.
The tightened security measures came a day after India’s national securityadviser said the lifting of communication restrictions in Indian Kashmirdepended on Pakistan stopping deploying “terrorists” and fomenting unrestthere. -APP/AFP