May 26, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 13,1423

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SRINAGAR, May 25: Twelve people were arrested here on Saturday as Indian police forcibly broke up a procession to mark the Eid Milad-un-Nabi.

Dozens of activists of the Islamic Students League (ISL) marched through Srinagar, reciting verses from the holy Quran and shouting pro-Islamic slogans.

They had planned to walk to Srinagar’s lakeside Hazratbal mosque, but were prevented from doing so by police as there is a ban on processions in occupied Kashmir.

Witnesses said when the marchers insisted on continuing they were baton-charged by the police.

A dozen of them were pulled into waiting vehicles and taken to a nearby police station.

ISL officials said several of their members were injured in the police action.

Much of the held state was closed down earlier this week because of a three-day strike between Wednesday and Friday to protest a visit by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and the assassination of senior leader Abdul Gani Lone.

Life returned to normal on Saturday with shops and businesses opening.

“It is great the strike is over as I have to purchase many things for my daughter’s marriage due next week,” said shopper Mohammed Shafi.

Shopkeepers were equally happy with a return to normality on the streets of Srinagar.

“It is better to be in business than to stay at home,” said Mohammed Yusuf, a shopkeeper in Srinagar’s Poloview area.

—AFP