Valley under shut down as Hurriyat calls march to Tral

Srinagar, May 30 – Valley-wide restrictions and curfew was imposed by the authorities for the third consecutive day on Tuesday to prevent a separatist-called march to Tral, the hometown of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat.

Separatists have appealed to people to march to Tral in Pulwama district to offer funeral prayers (fateha) of Bhat, alias Abu Zarar, who succeeded militant ‘poster boy’ Burhan Wani.

Bhat was killed on Saturday in a gunfight with the security forces in Saimough village along with his associate Faizan Ahmed.

District Magistrate of Srinagar Farooq Ahmed Lone said: “Curfew will continue in seven police station areas here, including Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, M.R.Gunj, Safa Kadal, Kralkhud and Maisuma in the city.”

Heavy deployment of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been made in other parts of the city to discourage and restrain vehicular movement.

Similar restrictions have been imposed in all other district headquarters and major towns of the Kashmir Valley.

Authorities have ordered closure of all educational institutions as well in the valley.

No traffic would be allowed to move towards Srinagar from Jammu or through the Mughal Road on Tuesday, a senior traffic official told IANS.

Train services have also remained suspended in the Kashmir Valley for the third consecutive day.

All senior separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have been placed under house arrest in the Srinagar city to prevent their participation in the separatist march.

Authorities had suspended internet services on mobile phones on Saturday, and on Tuesday the internet facilities on landline broadband connection was also snapped at most places in the valley to prevent spread of rumours by miscreants.

Students, patient care and businesses were the worst hit by these extreme measures that were put in place to prevent a recurrence of the 2016 unrest that saw nearly a 100 dead when Burhan Wani died in a similar gunfight in July 2016.