Money was behind Kashmir protests: Militant leader
December 15th, 2010 - 3:59 pm ICT by IANSJammu, Dec 15 (IANS) A heavy flow of money was behind the stone-pelting protests in Kashmir last summer, according to a top militant leader who was believed to be instigating the stir in the valley. Hardline Hurriyat leader Masarat Alam, who became an icon for protesters, has told interrogators that he spent Rs.40 lakh to organise the protests that left more than 110 people dead in clashes with security forces.
“He also revealed that he had received the money from separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani,” a senior police officer told IANS.
“We are trying to find out the channels through which the money came to Geelani and was distributed among the protest instigators like Masarat Alam,” Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda has been quoted as saying in local newspaper Daily Excelsior.
Alam was arrested in October and curfew was imposed in Srinagar and other major towns of the valley a day after the arrest to prevent any violence.
The protests gained in intensity following the death of 17-year-old Tufail Mattoo after he was hit by a teargas shell in Srinagar June 11. The subsequent unrest in the valley claimed 110 lives, of mostly youngsters.
- Srinagar under curfew after Masarat Alam's arrest - Oct 19, 2010
- 25 including 11 cops wounded in fresh Kashmir violence (Lead) - Oct 19, 2010
- Traffic jams mark day of normalcy in Srinagar - Oct 20, 2010
- Geelani to intensify stir ahead of Obama's India visit - Oct 30, 2010
- Hardline Hurriyat leader may be shifted to Jammu jail - Oct 19, 2010
- Geelani's shutdown call hits life in Srinagar - Jun 11, 2011
- Geelani threatens to intensify Kashmir agitation - Nov 20, 2010
- Hardline Hurriyat group's general secretary arrested - Oct 18, 2010
- Return of the stone rage in Kashmir (2010 in Retrospect) - Dec 28, 2010
- Curfew imposed to foil separatist march in Kashmir - Oct 22, 2010
- 15 injured as clashes erupt in Kashmir (Lead) - Oct 27, 2010
- Four injured as Police fire teargas shells on stone-pelters in Srinagar - Aug 16, 2010
- Kashmir stone-pelters backed by opposition: Advani - Sep 04, 2010
- Kashmir Valley peaceful, curfew relaxed in phases - Sep 22, 2010
- Geelani, Mirwaiz placed under house arrest - May 27, 2011
Tags: alam, ali shah, clashes, curfew, daily excelsior, director general, hardline, heavy flow, hurriyat leader, instigators, interrogators, kashmir, khoda, kuldeep, lakh, mattoo, militant leader, security forces, separatist leader, youngsters