Curfew Relaxed in Kashmir Valley

Curfew has been relaxed in Kashmir valley expect Sopore and Pulwana to let people offer prayers on the occasion of a Muslim festival as police cracked down on stone pelters and took 20 persons into custody who are allegedly responsible for provoking crowds, said media reports.

The curfew was relaxed last night in the valley after chief minister Omar Abdulla held a high level meeting and took the decision to enable people offer special prayers overnight at the Hazratbal shrine for Shab-e-Mehraj, an important occasion on the religious calendar, reports said.

Some protestors came out in the streets in Qamarwari, Naaz cinema, Nowhatta and Maisuma of the city this morning in but were chased away by the police, said reports.

Restrictions were imposed in Maisuma after the protests, reports said.

People continued to throng the Hazratbal Shrine to have a glimpse of a Holy Relic of Prophet Mohammed which is shown to people after every prayer after Shab-e-Mehraj (night of ascent). Nearly 4,000 people had gathered during the first prayer at the break of the dawn.

Shops and business establishments were open and traffic was plying normally in the city, said reports.

However, curfew had to be imposed in Pulwama district after a media report that one person had died in police firing, which was denied by authorities, reports said.

People started coming out on the streets despite administration announcing that the news was not correct, said reports.

Before things could go out of hands, the authorities decided to impose curfew, reports said.

Kakapora area of Pulwama district had witnessed pitched battle between mobs and security personnel last evening which resulted in injuries to 16 security personnel and five civilians.