Curfew-like restrictions back in SeK, downtown Srinagar

Srinagar, Aug 14 : Curfew-like restrictions are back today after day-long normalcy yesterday in Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) and downtown in Srinagar, where people remained indoor due to heavy security force and police deployment to prevent any law and order problem. Authorities had imposed similar restrictions on August 12 when separatists, backed by trader groups, had called for a strike against alleged attempts to abrogate Article 35-A. There were no restrictions yesterday in any part of the city. Both the factions of Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) urged people to observe a strike today against alleged attempts being made to abrogate Article 35-A of the Constitution. The strike was backed by many trader groups, including Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF). There was no strike call from any organizations today. However, separatists had called for a strike tomorrow, on the 7Ist Independence Day (ID) of the country. The authorities had apprehension of violence following the killing of two youths in alleged security force firing last evening in south Kashmir, where three Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants, including a self styled top commander, were killed in an encounter. Two army personnel were also killed and three others, including an officer, were injured in the encounter which ended yesterday. Officials said that restrictions under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed as a precautionary measure in areas falling under five police stations of Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Safa Kadal, Khanyar and Khanyar in the down town and SeK since early this morning. However, the situation was entirely different on the ground as people alleged that they were not being allowed to move out of their houses since early this morning. State police personnel and security forces, wearing bulletproof jackets, helmets and holding automatic weapons in their hands, were deployed in these areas to strictly implement the restrictions. All gates of historic Jamia Masjid, stronghold of chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, who remain under house arrest since last about two months, were also closed and a large number of security forces and state police personnel remained deployed in the area. Nobody was being allowed to enter the Jamia Masjid area by the security forces. The entire Nallahmar road from Khanyar to Qamarwari was closed with barbed wires and no one was allowed to move on the road. Main and link roads were closed with barbed wire and by parking bullet proof vehicles in the middle. People of these areas alleged that milkmen and vegetable vendors were not allowed to enter from outskirts by the security forces due to which they had to drink black tea. However, the Safa Kadal road to S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) through Eidgah was open though only patients and ambulances were being allowed after checking their documents. Similar situation was witnessed at other places in the downtown and SeK, where additional security forces had been deployed since early this morning. UNI