Complete shutdown was observed in uptown Srinagar on Thursday to mark the 26th anniversary of Gaw Kadal massacre in which 52 civilians were killed by paramilitary forces.
Shops, restaurants and others business establishments in Lal Chowk, Jehangir Chowk, Sarai Bala, Gonikhan, Maharaja Bazaar, Maisuma, Gaw Kadal, Basant Bagh, Mandir Bagh, Habba Kadal and adjoining areas remained closed in response to the strike called by separatists to pay tribute to 52 civilians, who were gunned down at Gaw Kadal on January 21, 1990.The traffic movement was also partially hit by the strike.
In Maisuma and adjoining areas, youth also took to roads and staged demonstrations. They clashed with the police and CRPF men, who were deployed in strength in the area. They pelted stones at the cops, who retaliated by lobbing tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge.
“Although 26 years have passed since the massacre took place but the memory of the massacre is still fresh in our minds. We will continue to remember the martyrs, who gave their life for our pride and honour,” a group of locals at Mandarbagh told.
52 unarmed civilians killed on January 21, 1990 when CRPF men opened fire at a procession heading towards Chotta Bazar area of Karan Nagar, where the force personnel had committed high handedness.
Hurriyat leaders, separatist activists and people from different parts of Srinagar thronged to Gawkadal to pay tributes to the massacre victims.
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat activists led by Raja Mehraj-ud-din took out a solidarity march at Gawkadal. Syed Imtiyaz Hyder, Umar Aadil Dar, Rameez Raja, Mudasir Nadavi, Jamsheed Ahmad, Javaid Ahmad Baba, Zahoor Ahmad Beigh, Jan Mohammad Najar and other separatist activists participated in the solidarity march.
Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani has appealed international human rights organisations to ensure an impartial investigation into all such massacres in Jammu and Kashmir.
