Situation in J-K calm, curfew lifted

SRINAGAR - The situation in Kashmir Valley was calm on Tuesday with curfew being lifted from all the areas after several days of unrest.

The situation remained peaceful here following which the shoppers flocked markets, as almost all the business establishments reopened in Srinagar and all major towns of the Valley.

“The situation is peaceful throughout the Valley and curfew has been lifted from all parts. Traffic snarls were seen at many places as people came out to stock supplies particularly in view of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan. Schools, colleges, banks and private offices reopened and public transport was back on the roads,” said police officials.

Yesterday, protesting against frequent forced shutdowns of their businesses, shopkeepers at local markets, chased separatists away with stones.

According to reports, an incident of clash was recently reported from Peerbagh in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgham District as separatists and their supporters, who reached the area to enforce a strike, were greeted with stones.

The police could not do anything much to quell the locals as security men were outnumbered.

Later, these traders reached the police station and filed an FIR against ten people of neighbouring Nabir Gund village, holding them responsible for spoiling peace and threatening the locals.

Similar incidents of public anger against separatists have been reported from other parts of the valley .

In Ompura area in central Kashmir, there have been instances of exchange of hot words between businessmen and anti-social elements when the former were forced to shut down their shops.

In Meehama (South Kashmir), four men were beaten up by locals three days back when they were trying to enforce a strike in the area.

Senior police officials said people were voicing their concern and the police was only intervening to prevent the situation from turning worse.

The Kashmir Valley has experienced a surge of violence that has led authorities to impose frequent curfew restrictions in several parts of the state.

Curfew was initially imposed on June 30 in parts of northern and southern Kashmir to stop demonstrations over a couple of protesters who died in police firing.

It was lifted some days later, but was again imposed as fresh violence erupted. (ANI)