Kashmir comes to standstill due to curfew

Srinagar, Mar 8: Normal life was disrupted in

for the fifth consecutive day today due to curfew in most parts of the Valley in view of the call by separatists for protests after Friday prayers.

"Curfew has been imposed in Srinagar district and all major towns of Kashmir as a precautionary measure," a police spokesman said.

The curfew was imposed after Majlis Mashawarat (Consultative Committee), an amalgamation of separatist outfits, called for protests after Friday prayers in support of its demands and protest against the killing of a youth allegedly in army firing at Baramulla on Tuesday.

Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel have been deployed in large number across the Valley to ensure that curfew is not violated. Security forces have placed concertina wires at all major intersections in the city and elsewhere in the Valley to maintain effective access control system.

On complaints by locals against police and CPRF personnel, police said it has not received any complaint about highhanded behaviour by its personnel so far.

The amalgamation, which includes both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF, is seeking return of mortal remains of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat to their families. Guru and Bhat were hanged and buried inside Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013 and February 11, 1984 respectively.

Normal life in Kashmir has remained disrupted since Sunday due to the agitation spearheaded by the Majlis and curfew and restrictions imposed by the government to counter the separatists.

PTI