Srinagar: After occupying it for over two
decades, paramilitary CRPF vacated the Firdous Cinema located
in the old city, thereby meeting a long pending demand of the
locals.
Last year, 40 security pickets were removed from the
Kashmir Valley.
Officials said the CRPF personnel have vacated the
premises of the cinema hall in downtown Srinagar and relocated
to border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir.
Firdous Cinema, one of the popular movie halls in the
summer capital, was occupied by CRPF in early 1990s after
eruption of militancy which left the movie halls defunct.
Militants had carried out dozens of attacks, including a
suicide attack, on the cinema hall which was turned into a
security camp in November 2005. Two ultras and three CRPF
personnel were killed in one of the attacks.
The premises was also under occupation of BSF which
replaced CRPF to fight militancy in 1993 before they again
handed it over to CRPF in 2003.
Following last year's summer unrest, the government
ordered removal of 40 bunkers from different parts of the city
to reduce the footprints of security forces - a recommendation
of the all-party delegation that visited the Valley in
September last year.
Local residents of Hawal and adjoining areas have
expressed satisfaction over the vacation of the complex by
security forces saying the presence of bunker was hindering
free movement of traffic and often resulted in snarls.
They said presence of the camp acted as an instigator
during protests as the youth would target it by pelting
stones.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 01, 2011, 15:33