The unrest, which began in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8 and is about to complete four months, has badly affected, business, tourism and education in Kashmir.
Normal life remained affected in Kashmir for the 115th consecutive day on Monday due to the separatist-sponsored strike over the recent civilian killings and in support of their demand for right to ‘self determination’ Although some shops were open in few areas in the civil lines and in the outskirts of summer capital here, most of them were shut in the rest of the city as well in other parts of Kashmir.
There was some movement of private cars and auto-rickshaws in the city and other district headquarters of the Valley, but it was comparatively less as the separatists have not announced any relaxation in the strike later in the day on Monday.
Many street vendors, though, had set up their stalls along the TRC Chowk—Batamaloo axis through the Lal Chowk city centre.
Even as there were no curbs on the movement of people anywhere in Kashmir, the officials said restrictions on the assembly of people under Section 144 CrPC were in place throughout the Valley.
Security forces have been deployed in strength at vulnerable spots and along the main roads as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order as well as to instill a sense of security among the people to carry out their day to day activities without fear.
The unrest, which began in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8 and is about to complete four months, has badly affected, business, tourism and education in Kashmir.
While shops, petrol pumps and business establishments remain shut during the day and open only in the evening during the relaxation period announced by the separatists on few days of the week, educational institutions have been completely closed since the unrest began.
The separatists, who are spearheading the ongoing agitation in support of their demand for right to self determination, have been issuing weekly protest calendars since Wani’s killing.
They announce a 14-hour relaxation from 5 pm on some days of the week for people to buy essentials.
As many as 85 people, including two cops, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the ongoing unrest in the Valley.
Around 5000 security forces personnel have also been injured in the clashes.
Thousands of youth, including some top separatist leaders, have been arrested by police over the past three months in an attempt to break the impasse.
Over 300 people have been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Meanwhile, Clashes erupted in a Shopian village in south Kashmir on Monday after government forces raided the house of a separatist leader and allegedly thrashed the inmates.
Reports said that forces raided the house of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat district president Muhammad Yousuf Falahi to arrest him.
Falahi is evading arrest for past more than three months.
Forces allegedly ransacked the property and thrashed the inmates.
Following the raid, people took to streets and staged protests.
Forces used teargas to disperse the protesters, triggering clashes.
Six persons were injured in clashes that erupted in Rahmoo village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday.
Witnesses and reports said that government forces resorted to massive vandalism in the village.
Clashes erupted after forces used teargas shells and aerial firing to disperse the protesters.
Six persons have been injured in the clashes which were going on at the time of filing of this report.
Unidentified persons Monday hurled a petrol bomb at a fruit vendor in Sopore causing burn injuries on him. Local sources told Kashmir Post that a fruit vendor was busy in his business near Guro Nursing Home in the north town when he was attacked with a petrol bomb apparently for defying shutdown call.
They said that vendor Tariq Ahmad was rushed to hospital.
