Chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday faced a hostile crowd in Sopore.
According to reports, his car and an escort vehicle were attacked.
Mr. Mirwaiz, after speaking to the Friday congregation at Khankah, addressed a crowd outside the mosque. People shouted slogans against India and they continuously booed him. They urged him to move towards the main market in a procession but he did not relent. A scuffle reportedly followed, resulting in minor injuries to six people.
Pro-Geelani slogans
Sopore is the native town of hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and youths were shouting pro-Geelani slogans.
Mr. Mirwaiz told The Hindu that he had no information about the incident. ‘‘It might have happened after I left. I addressed the gathering peacefully,'' he said, adding that there was some sloganeering, “but I don't think it was something big.”
Police condemns incident
A police spokesman in a statement condemned the incident.
“Today's incident at Sopore, in which Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was attacked by some miscreants, while he was addressing Friday congregational prayer at Khan Kai Moula Sopore is unfortunate and condemnable. This is one more manifestation of hooliganism perpetrated by the elements hell-bent to throttle the dissenting voice. The same elements have previously also beaten a shopkeeper, Tariq Ahmad Bhat, at Nowhatta when he defied their dictates to shutdown his shop in down town area,” the spokesman said in the statement.
