Srinagar, July 5: Authorities clamped curfew and tougher restrictions in most parts of Indian Kashmir on Monday to foil the separatists march against the killing of 11 youngsters in police and paramilitary soldiers firing in the region during past two weeks.

Police vehicles fitted with public address systems made announcements about curfew in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir and other parts of the region in the wee hours today. People were asked not to venture out of their homes.

Thousands of police and paramilitary soldiers armed with riot gears and sophisticated weapons were deployed across the Indian Kashmir. The soldiers had blocked almost all the entry and exit points linking Indian Kashmir with South Kashmir’s Islamabad township. The soldiers had placed barricades, concertina wires and armoured vehicles on the roads to restrict any kind of movement.

The curfew was imposed to foil the separatists march towards South Kashmir’s Islamabad township, where three youngsters died in police firing on Tuesday last (June 29). The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference (separatist conglomerate) led by 80-year old Syed Ali Geelani (presently under detention) had called for the “Islamabad March” to protest the recent killing of youth in police and paramilitary soldiers firing.

At least 11 youth (3 in Srinagar, 5 in North Kashmir and 3 in South Kashmir) have died in police and paramilitary soldiers firing in past two weeks triggering massive anti-India and pro-freedom protests. The authorities imposed curfew and restrictions, which were lifted after 9 days yesterday only to be reinforced today (July 5).

A senior police official said the curfew and restrictions were re-imposed on Monday to foil the separatists march. “The march would have lead to law and order problem and as a precautionary measure the curfew and restrictions were imposed,” he said.

The residents of curfew-hit areas including Nowhatta, Bohri-Kadal, Sopore, Baramulla complained that they were not allowed by police and paramilitary soldiers to venture out to purchase daily need items.

Only the persons having valid identity cards were allowed to move out. An emotional scene was witnessed near Jehangir Chowk, Lal Chowk, the city centre with police and paramilitary soldiers disallowed a youth to carry his ailing mother to the hospital. “The youth who was not having the valid identity card was not allowed to move ahead. However, the residents of the area came out of the roads and pleaded with the soldiers to let him take his mother to hospital. It was only after their repeated pleas that the soldiers allowed him to shift his ailing mother to the hospital,” said one of the eyewitness to the incident.

On Sunday, hustle and bustle had returned to the marks with people purchasing essentials including vegetables, pulses, dry milk, flour and other eatables, fearing more trouble.

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National Turk / India – Faiz Ahmad

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