Strict Restrictions Clamped in Srinagar as Shutdown Cripples Kashmir Valley

For the fifth consecutive day, a general shutdown paralysed life across the Kashmir valley while officials clamped strict restrictions in the old areas of Srinagar to avoid trouble that began earlier this week with death of a school boy in clashes with police, said media reports.

Officials said that police and paramilitary personnel were positioned to foil any attempt by people to take out processions after the Friday prayers under the aegis of moderate Hurriyat Conference, said reports.

Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the chairperson of the moderate Hurriyat group, continued to remain under house arrest for the second day. Two other moderate separatist leaders, Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan, were arrested on Wednesday to prevent them from participating in the protests, said reports.

Residents of the old city alleged that police and paramilitary force personnel did not allow them to come out of their houses as curfew was imposed for the second successive day today, said reports.

However, a police spokesman was quoted as saying, “Curfew has not been imposed in any part of the city but prohibitory orders have been enforced strictly.”

“The restrictions have been imposed as a precautionary measure to protect public life and property,” a senior police official was quoted as saying by IANS.

Shops, banks, and other businesses remained closed in the rest of the city and in other parts of the Kashmir and traffic was off the roads even though no restrictions had been imposed, said reports.

Officials said that they feared further violence in this summer capital of Jammu and Kashmi, said reports.

Clashes between stone-pelting youth and security personnel had begun Sunday following the death of a 13-year-old schoolboy when he was hit on the head by a teargas shell in the Rajouri Kadal area of the old city.

Reports said citing official sources that the restrictions had been imposed in areas falling under the jurisdiction of five police stations of Khanyar, Nowhatta, MR Gunj, Rainawari and Safa Kadal.