STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Handwara, the epicentre of ongoing unrest in Kashmir, and its adjoining areas continued to witness trouble on Monday, prompting re-imposition of curfew-like restrictions after a three-hour relaxation even though mobile internet services were restored after four-day suspension.
As the cycle of violence showed no signs of stopping, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti appealed to the people to help restore peace, promising severe punishment to those found guilty in Handwara and Kupwara incidents during which five civilians were killed in firing by security forces.
Authorities gave a three-hour relaxation from curfew-like restrictions in Handwara town in Kupwara district and adjoining areas from 8 am to 11 am with an intention of extending it if the period passed off peacefully.
However, the relaxation period saw around 150 youth pelting stones in Handwara town, a police official said.
“The protestors were chased away and there was no damage,” he said, adding that the curbs were then re-imposed.
“Restrictions were imposed again in Handwara, Trehgam and Kralgund areas of Kupwara district following violent protests,” the official said. In Srinagar, a group of students at Kashmir University staged a protest inside the Hazratbal campus against the killings in Handwara and Kupwara towns, the official said.
He said a handful of students also organised a similar protest at Islamic University of Science and Technology in Awantipora area of Pulwama district. At both the varsities, the students dispersed peacefully.
The authorities also restored mobile internet services across Kashmir valley at the stroke of midnight after keeping the services suspended for four days.
The decision to restore the mobile internet services was taken as there was no major incident of protest or violence across Kashmir valley.
