Curfew imposed in parts of Srinagar

Srinagar, Sep 30: Curfew was today imposed in parts of Srinagar in view of the separatists call for occupying the Lal Chowk city centre here and apprehensions of violence after the Friday congregational prayers.

Curfew has been imposed in five police station areas of downtown (interior areas) Srinagar and Batamaloo and Maisuma areas in the uptown, a police official said.

He said the curbs on the movement of the people in these parts of the summer capital were imposed in view of occupy Lal Chowk call by the separatists, as well as because of the apprehensions of violence after the Friday prayers today.

All routes leading to Lal Chowk city centre here have been sealed with concertina wires and security forces have been deployed in strength to prevent any law and order problems, the official said.

He said while there was no curfew anywhere else in Kashmir, restrictions on the assembly of people under section 144 CrPc were in place throughout the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

Meanwhile, normal life continued to remain affected in Kashmir for the 84th consecutive day today due to the separatists call for shut down.

Shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments remained shut, while public transport remained off the roads. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also remained closed across the Valley.

The separatist groups have been announcing weekly protest programmes with periodic relaxation on some days and have extended the strike till October 6. As many as 82 persons, including two cops, have been killed and thousands of others injured in the ongoing unrest.

PTI