Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 13: Curfew was today relaxed and lifted from parts of Kashmir valley while in other sensitive parts it remained strictly enforced for 5th day today since its imposition on Saturday ahead of the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
There were reports of clashes from several parts of Kashmir valley this evening during in which a police officer is among over a dozen protesters injured. And in the meantime, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Asgar Samoon, has directed the Government employees to attend their duties and informed them that their identity cards would be treated as curfew/movement passes.
A police spokesman said here that curfew was relaxed indefinitely from areas falling under police Stations of Ram Munshi Bagh, Kothibagh, Sadder, Rajbagh, Lalbazar, Nigeen, Zakoora, Pantha Chowk, Parimpora, Bemina and Nowgam in Srinagar since 9 a.m. He said that situation in these areas remained peaceful.
In Srinagar city people in large numbers came out in the areas where the curfew was relaxed and were seen busy in buying essential commodities. The general stores, meat shops, chicken shops, vegetable and fruit shops opened in various parts of the city and in view of fluid situation people were on buying spree.
The police spokesman said: “Curfew was also relaxed in the areas falling under police stations of Kakpora, Lassipora, Rajpora in district Pulwama from 9 a.m. and in Awantipora in district Pulwama from 10 a.m. In Kupwara district, curfew was relaxed from 10 a.m. in the areas of falling under Police Stations of Kupwara, Kralpora, Sogam and Lalpora in district Kupwara. In Baramulla district, curfew was partially relaxed in some areas of police Station Baramulla from 4 p.m. to 6 pm and also in some areas of Sopore partial it was partially relaxed from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. In central Kashmir district of Budgam it was relaxed from 10 a.m.”
There were reports of fresh clashes from several parts of North Kashmir’s Old town Baramulla, Khanpora, Kralteng, Muslim, Ashpeer, Hathishah and several other parts of Baramulla district in which 6 persons were injured. Police used batons and fired tear-smoke to disperse the protesters.
There were also clashes in Bandipora town in North Kashmir since morning soon after curfew was relaxed. Protesters pelted stones at Police and police charged batons and fired tear-smoke to disperse them. Reports said that one protester was injured in the clashes.
The Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Farooq Ahmad Shah said that curfew was lifted from Bijbhera, Mattan and Qazigund areas of the district while it was relaxed indefinitely in Anantnag town from 4:30 p.m.
However, in the evening there were clashes between protesters and police in SK Colony Janglant Mandi, Sheerpora, LalChowk and Lassibal areas of Anantnag town. Reports said that DSP headquarter Tanvir Jeelani, Constable Muhammad Azad and 6 protesters were injured in the clashes. Police fired tear-smoke shells and charged batons to disperse the protesters.
The Deputy Commissioner Shah said that two Cabinet Ministers Peerzada Sayeed and Ghulam Ahmad Mir and senior officers of the district visited the hospitals and reviewed supply position in the district. He said that in the evening a meeting was held with the senior citizens of the district to discuss the situation with them.
Shah said that he along with the SSP Anantnag, R K Jala, commandant local unit of CRPF, Rajnish, visited the entire township to assess and mitigate the problems faced by the people during curfew. He said that a control room is functioning in the district and asked people to contact (9419047052 ) the administration in case of an emergency. He said that the administration has set up mobile units of essential supplies that will distribute essentials to the people in curfew bound areas at their door step.
The Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Jehangir Mir, told Excelsior that curfew was lifted from DH Pora, Devsar and Qazigund areas of the district while indefinite relaxation was given in Qaima area from 4:30 p.m. He said that in Kulgam town the curfew continues. Mir, however, said that in Kulgam town the district administration is ensuring that the people don’t face any problem of essential commodities.
The Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Mohammad Javed Khan told Excelsior that curfew was relaxed indefinitely from the Shopian town from 3 p.m. He, however, said that during the curfew the district administration ensured that people don’t face any problem of essential commodities. He said that the district administration held regular meetings with the senior citizens and people rendered their full cooperation to the administration in the district.
The curfew from Ganderbal in the central Kashmir was lifted from 11 a.m. today and it was relaxed in Kangan town of the district from 4 p.m. indefinitely. Reports said that clashes broke out at Wussan and Kijpora in Kangan between protesters and police in which a police man was injured. Protesters brunt tyres and blocked the highway for several hours. Police later swung into action and chased the protesters away. Reports said a Jammu and Kashmir Bank vehicle carrying cash for ATM Kangan was damaged in stone pelting at Wusan.
The Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Itrat Hussain Rafiquee, held meeting with the senior citizens of the district and Sarpachs and sought their cooperation. He said that administration ensured that the people don’t face problems of essential commodities during the curfew. The DC said that government will give Rs 2 lakh each to the families whose kins drowned in river Jhelum. It may be mentioned here that two persons who were being chased by security forces in Ganderbal drowned in Jhelum while police maintains that they drowned after their boat capsized.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, S M Sahai, said here that police on ground has been directed to exercise maximum restraint while tackling any law and order situation.
The IGP said that the relaxation in the curfew bound areas will be taken at the local levels by District authorities after evaluating the situation from time to time. “The areas where the relaxation in curfew has been given, the extension of relaxation period will be taken after assessing the situation”, he added.
In the meantime, the government today woke up to the problems of cash faced by the people across Kashmir valley. A statement issued by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir said that 185 ATMs out of 252 ATMs in the valley are functional now. The people were facing severe cash crunch as ATMs were non-functional since Saturday and banks were closed.
The statement said that 11 trucks of vegetables, 1.3 lakh litres of milk, 4136 LPG Cylinder, 5000 quintals of rice were distributed among consumers in Srinagar city. “As many as 3000 birds were sold at different outlets and 113 ration sale outlets were also kept open besides two trucks of eggs are kept available for the consumers in the city”, the statement added.
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