Curfew lifted in entire Kashmir except few areas

Barring a couple of stone-pelting incidents, situation was by and large peaceful in Kashmir where curfew was lifted from all places, except three police station areas of Srinagar.

However, normal life remained affected the valley for the 75th consecutive day due to the separatist-sponsored strike.

Police arrested 43 people who were allegedly involved in disturbing law and order during the past 24 hours, raising to 208 the number of such people held over the past five days.

With improvement in the situation, the authorities had on Tuesday lifted curfew across Kashmir except six police station areas of Srinagar.

On Wednesday morning, the curfew was lifted from three of the police station areas while it remained in force in Nowhatta, M R Gunj and Khanyar police station areas, police said.

But restrictions on the assembly of four or more people under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure continued in the valley.

Due to the strike call of the separatists, public transport remained off the roads and shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also continued to remain shut.

The separatists, who are spearheading the current agitation in the valley, have extended the protest programme till September 22.

They did not announce any period of relaxation in the strike for the week.

Mobile internet services remained suspended and the outgoing calls on prepaid numbers also continued to be barred across the valley.

Meanwhile, a police spokesman said barring a couple of stone-pelting incidents, the situation in the valley remained by and large peaceful.

“A couple of stone-pelting incidents were reported from Zainapora in Shopian and Shangran, Dooru in Anantnag where miscreants in their attempt to disturb the situation assembled and pelted stones on police and security force deployments,” the spokesman said.

“Barring these incidents, the overall situation remained under control across the valley,” he added.

The spokesman said greater movement of people and vehicular traffic was observed across the valley including in the Srinagar city.

As many as 81 people, including two cops, have been killed in the unrest that started a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmir on July 8.