Kashmir remains paralysed for 40th consecutive day

Ehsan Fazili

Srinagar, August 17

A day after the death of five people in two incidents in Kashmir, tension gripped the valley, which continued to remain under curfew and restrictions for the 40th day on Wednesday.

With five deaths on Tuesday, the toll in the ongoing violence has gone up to 65.

In view of the separatists’ call for three-day march from Wednesday morning, the authorities have extended curfew to the entire Srinagar, where seven police stations in downtown and Batamaloo in the uptown continue to be under curfew.

The separatists, in view of the seven more killings in the past two days, have jointly called for starting “a 72-hour march towards the UN Office” beginning Wednesday morning. For the fifth consecutive day, the central Lal Chowk was sealed.

Curfew was in force in Anantnag town. Curfew and restrictions continued in most areas of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts. South Kashmir has been witness to widespread demonstrations where Anantnag district has recorded the highest number of deaths in the violence since the trouble started following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

Curfew has also been clamped on Magam (Beerwah) area of Budgam district, where four people died on Tuesday.

Normal life has been paralysed due to the curfew, restrictions and the separatists’ shutdown calls over the past 40 days. Shops and business establishments are closed and traffic is off the roads. Educational institutes are closed despite the government’s directive on re-opening and appeal to students to return to schools, while the attendance in government offices is thin.

The common man is faced with shortage of essential commodities, food and vegetables and other merchandise due to the disruption in communication links and transportation of goods.