STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Curfew in some parts and restrictions on the assembly of people continued for the 34th day on Thursday in Kashmir Valley where normal life remained disrupted.
Curfew continued to remain in force in parts of the summer capital Srinagar and Anantnag town, a police official said here.
“Curfew is in force in five police stations in downtown (interior) area of Srinagar city and Anantnag town in south Kashmir,” the official said.
He said curfew was also clamped in Pampore town today in view of the death anniversary of former chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People’s League Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who hailed from the Saffron-town.
The official said restrictions on assembly of four or more people also continued to remain force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
Even as the official said the situation across Kashmir has showed signs of improvement since the beginning of this week, normal life remained affected in the Valley for the 34th consecutive day due to the curbs imposed by the authorities and separatist sponsored strike.
Schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off the roads.
The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said. However, most of the shops open after 6 PM on alternate days as the separatist groups have announced relaxation in their protest programme to allow people to buy essentials.
Mobile Internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire Valley where the outgoing facility on prepaid connections is also barred.
The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till tomorrow and as part of the protest programme had asked the people to march to the martyrs’ graveyard on Thursday to hold congregational prayers on the death anniversary of Aziz who was killed in 2008.
Violent protests have rocked Kashmir after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8. As many as 55 persons, including two cops, were killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces.
Geelani, Mirwaiz taken into preventive custody
Srinagar: Police on Thursday took into preventive custody Hurriyat Conference leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as they tried to defy house arrest and march to Eidgah to pay homage to Sheikh Abdul Aziz on his eighth death anniversary.
Police detained Geelani, chairman of the hardline Hurriyat Conference, as he tried to defy the restrictions, and took him to Humhama police station, a spokesman for the Hurriyat faction said. “The Mirwaiz was arrested by police outside his Nigeen residence and lodged in Nigeen police station,” a spokesman for the chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat said.
The separatists, as per their joint protest programme announced on August 4, had asked people to march to the Eidgah to pay homage to Aziz.
Meanwhile, the separatist camp in Kashmir has asked people not to send their children for participating in Independence Day events and gave a call for a two-day “referendum march” at Lal Chowk on August 13 and 14 to let the people of the state exercises their right to self-determination to decide on its future status. “Parents are directed not to send their wards for participation in these (Independence Day) celebrations,” the separatists said in the joint protest programme issued today for six days from August 13 to 18.
“From 7:00 am onwards (on August 15), block all the roads towards and around the place of celebration of Indian Independence Day; District Development Commissioners are asked not to hoist the Indian Flag in any part of the Jammu and Kashmir,” they added.
Geelani, the Mirwaiz and JKLF chairman Mhammad Yasin Malik have been spearheading the ongoing protests against recent civilian killings in the valley.
“Raise black flags on your houses, shops, market centres and local chowks and wear black dresses or black bands on this day,” the separatists said.
