Curfew lifted, life limps back to normal in Srinagar

SRINAGAR - Life started limping back to normal in Srinagar after nine days Sunday as curfew was lifted in the summer capital and most other cities and towns in the Kashmir Valley.

Restrictions were lifted from seven police station areas that were under curfew the past week.

Markets were open despite it being a Sunday and shoppers and commuters resumed their daily chores after nine days of heightened tension in the Valley.

People thronged shops and other retail outlets to buy essential commodities, especially in the Old City areas, where clashes between security forces and protesting mobs had paralyzed life for days.

Curfew was also lifted from north Kashmir Sopore town Sunday, which had seen widspread violence. Restrictions were withdrawn from adjacent Baramulla town as well where two youth were killed in firing by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

This incident had triggered a cycle of violence in the Valley.

However, south Kashmir’s Anantnag town remained under curfew though it was relaxed for two hours Sunday morning.

At least 11 people have been killed in the Kashmir Valley in firing by security forces on stone-pelting mobs protesting against alleged human rights violations.