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Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 17: Police today foiled separatist march to United Nations Military Observers Group in Indian and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) office in Srinagar by imposing strict curfew and detained Hurriyat Conference leaders who were trying to lead protest marches.
Authorities today imposed strict curfew and shut down all roads leading to UN office in Srinagar to foil the UN march called by separatists’ leaders.
Authorities tonight imposed night curfew in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley to foil evening and night protests. Police in several localities announced that night curfew has been imposed and asked people to stay indoors.
Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained by police outside their residences in Hyderpora and Nageen respectively when they attempted to march towards the UN Military Observers Group in Indian and Pakistan office here at Sonwar.
Police and CRPF were deployed in strength on the roads that lead to the UN Office here and roads and other streets were sealed with concertina and razor wires to prevent movement of people and vehicles.
In other parts of Srinagar, police and CRPF were deployed in full strength to enforce curfew. The security forces were patrolling the streets to prevent any protests.
Strict curfew was imposed in major towns across the Valley to disallow people to march towards Srinagar.
People at several places staged sit-in when the forces stopped them from marching ahead. Protests sit-in were held at several places during the day.
A protest march was held at Magarmal Bagh today. A sit-in was held at Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar. No major clash was reported from any part of the Valley when this report as filed in the afternoon.
The curfew entered into 40th day today in Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in South Kashmir on July 8.
Meanwhile, curfew continued to paralyse life in the Valley, with schools, shops, business units closed down for last 40 days, and mobile telephony and internet shut for a month. Only BSNL post paid connections are working and tonight the Broadband services have been restored after five days.
The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained disrupted for 39th day today and major roads remained shut due to blockades by protesters. Major district roads also remained shut due to blockades erected by protesters.
Sixty six people including two cops were killed in the protests during last 40 days and over 7000 people including security men have been injured.
“The law and order situation remained under control throughout Kashmir valley on today”, an official spokesperson of J&K Government quoting a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir said this evening.
“Restrictions under Section 144/CrPC remained in force in the Valley. However, curfew was imposed in Srinagar, Anantnag towns and Magam area of Budgam,” the statement said adding two incidents of stone pelting were reported so far.
“At Warpora in the jurisdiction of police station, Sopore some youth pelted stones on security force deployment. At Breain Nishat, Srinagar miscreants pelted stones on deployment. The youth were chased away from both the places,” the statement said.
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