STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Curfew in some parts and restrictions in rest of Kashmir remained in force for the 32nd day on Tuesday even as the situation across the Valley showed signs of improvement with the army assisting the police and paramilitary personnel in keeping troublemakers at bay.
“Curfew is in force in police station areas of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, Batamaloo and Maharajgunj in Srinagar city and Anantnag town in south Kashmir,” a police official said. He said restrictions on assembly of four or more people were in force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
The official said the situation across the valley has showed signs of improvement since yesterday as army personnel were helping police and paramilitary forces at many places to keep troublemakers away from roads.
“There were minor incidents of stonepelting on Monday and so far, no untoward incident has been reported on Tuesday,” the official added.
Violent protests rocked Kashmir a day after Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist 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 were injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces.
Normal life in the Valley remained affected for the 32nd consecutive day due to the curbs imposed by the authorities and separatist sponsored strike against the killing of civilians in the security forces action.
Schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices were closed while public transport remained off the roads.
The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said.
Mobile internet services remained 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 August 12.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said barring incidents of stone-pelting at three places in south and north Kashmir, the overall situation remained by and large peaceful in the valley.
Stone-pelting incidents were reported at Chursoo near Awantipora on Srinagar-Jammu national highway in Pulwama district of south Kashmir and Lalpora in Kupwara and Ajas in Bandipora districts of north Kashmir, during which two persons were injured, a police spokesman said.
He said some militants were spotted in a 3,000-strong mob which assembled near Jamia Masjid Lalpora in Kupwara district.
Two persons were injured in the dispersal of the mob by security forces at Lalpora, the spokesman said, adding one of them was referred to Soura Medical Institute here.
The spokesman said a group of miscreants tried to block the Srinagar-Jammu national highway near village Chursoo in Awantipora, 32 km from here, and indulged in stone-pelting when security forces rushed to the scene to ensure smooth flow of the vehicular traffic on the arterial road connecting the valley with the rest of the country.
About 70 miscreants pelted stones on police and security forces deployment at Ajas in Sumbal area of Bandipora district but there was no report of any casualty, the spokesman said.PTI
Defy separatist calls, open shops: Police to shopkeepers
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday asked shopkeepers to defy separatists’ call for a shutdown and assured complete security “to everybody”.
Speaking on the sidelines of a function, S K Mishra, acting Director General of Police, said shopkeepers should open their establishments during day time to defy “separatist-sponsored strike”. “Yes, this is a bad thing (the separatist sponsored strike). People should open their shops even during day time. We are ready to provide protection to everybody,” he said. The separatist camp, including hardliner Syed Ali Geelani, chairman of moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik, is spearheading the ongoing unrest in the valley triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on July 8.
On the prevailing situation in Kashmir, the acting police chief said the situation is “improving” but did not rule out seeking additional forces to restore normalcy in the Valley.
“It (situation) is improving. You see there is deployment. We will enhance the deployment to ensure that no untoward incident occurs,” he said.
Mishra, however, said “We will try but in case the situation deteriorates, we will procure additional manpower (to tackle the situation).”
On the separatists issuing veiled threats to the policemen allegedly involved in the firing on protesters, he said “These are things they are doing but we are trying our best to maintain law and order.”
“The public needs to come out to restart their normal activities. I appeal to the public to come out during day time and open their shops and lead a normal life,” he said. About the use of pellet guns, Mishra said the Centre has already set up a committee on the issue and once it submits its report “we will see”.
