Shutdown completes 100 days in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 12 (UNI) Life remained affected for the 100th day on Tuesday in the Kashmir valley, where people are protesting against scrapping of Article 370 besides bifurcating the state into Union Territories (UTs) on August 5.

Police said there is no curfew restrictions in any part of the valley today. However, restrictions under Section 144 CrPC, prohibiting assembling of four or more persons, continued as a precautionary measure in the valley on Tuesday.

As a precautionary measure all gates of historic Jamia Masjid in the downtown remained closed for devotees since August 5. Large number of Central Armed Paramilitary Force (CAPF) are deployed in the Jamia market and outside to prevent people from entering the worship place, stronghold of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, who is currently under house arrest.

Due to severe cold very less number of shops and business establishments reopened in Srinagar and outskirts this morning. However, after functioning for about three hours from 0800 hrs, everything came to halt again as shopkeepers closed their establishments and left for home.

Public transport, including State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses remained off the roads since August 5. However, private vehicles and three-wheelers were seen plying on some routes in the civil line and uptown. A number of cabs were also seen plying on different routes, including Srinagar to different districts besides in the city.

Pre-paid mobile service and internet service, including Broadband of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) also remained suspended for the past 100 days.

Business and other activities remained affected in this and other district and tehsil headquarters of south Kashmir on Tuesday, a report from Anantnag said. However, private vehicles were seen plying on the roads but passenger traffic remained off the roads. Additional security forces besides Road Opening Parties (ROP) remained deployed on the highway and other important routes in south Kashmir.

Life remained paralysed due to strike in this and other north Kashmir towns, a report from Baramulla said.

Traffic was off the roads though good number of vehicles were seen plying on different routes in the district. Additional security forces are deployed at sensitive places to prevent any law and order problem.

Similar reports were also received from central Kashmir districts of Ganderbal and Budgam, where business and other activities remained paralysed since August 5. Two militants were killed by security forces on Tuesday in Ganderbal on Tuesday.