Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 10: Curfew like restrictions continued in most parts of Kashmir Valley today for second consecutive day to foil separatists’ plans to hold protests on the occasion of anniversaries of Parliament-attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.
Police vehicles fitted with public address systems made announcements in Srinagar and major towns across the Valley about the imposition of restrictions for second consecutive morning.
Srinagar city and all major towns in Kashmir Valley were put under curfew like restrictions on Sunday to foil any attempts by separatists to protest on the occasion of first death anniversary of Guru who was hanged last year at Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9.
The restrictions continued today as the separatists have called for three day strike and protests to mark the anniversaries of Parliament-attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat. Guru was hanged last year on February 9 while Bhat was hanged on February 11 in 1984 in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
Police and para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in Srinagar city and major towns of the Valley to thwart any protests. The authorities imposed Section 144 of CrPC, which bans Assembly of four or more persons, in Srinagar city and major towns of the Valley on Sunday.
Police and CRPF had erected Iron barricades on the main roads at some places and at other places they had blocked the roads with concertina wires. No movement was allowed by the security forces and people were asked to stay indoors.
Despite restrictions, protesters clashed with police at Bomia, Seelu, Arampora, Batpora, Chinkipora, Chankhan, Barampora in Sopore and Bandipora in North Kashmir and Ganderbal in Central Kashmir and Shopian in South Kashmir.
Protesters clashed with police at these places in which around 10 people were injured. Police charged batons and fired tearsmoke to disperse the protesters. Seven persons were arrested in Sopore on charges of stone throwing.
A police spokesman said that the situation remained normal throughout the Kashmir valley so far. “Stray stone pelting incident has been reported from Papchan Bandipora. However, no one was hurt”, the spokesman added.
The Mobile internet services continue to be snapped for second consecutive day today. These services were snapped in the Valley since midnight on Sunday as part of the precautionary measures to prevent the separatist to use social networking sites for fomenting trouble on the occasion. However, broadband connections through landline phones were functioning as usual.
The curfew like restrictions in the Valley were imposed as separatists have issued a call for a three-day shutdown till February 11, which date marks the death anniversary of JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat. Bhat was hanged and buried inside Tihar Jail 20 years ago.
Authorities in a major crackdown arrested around 200 activists and several top separatist leaders ahead of Guru’s and Bhat’s death anniversary.
Most separatist leaders were detained in different police stations and the top ones restricted to their houses to prevent them from leading protest demonstrations.
Follow our WhatsApp channel