SRINAGAR: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.
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.
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.
At least 90 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).
SPO’s Home Set Ablaze
Anantnag: During the wee hours of Monday, some miscreants torched residence of Special Police Officer’s (SPO) residence located in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir. According to reports, the house of SPO’s house, where he stayed with his family is located at Kapran, Anantnag district was burnt by some unknown person who fled from the spot.
Initial reports suggest that it was pre-planned incident in which the house of SPO was turned into ashes. There are no reports of any casualties and injuries in the case as the blaze were brought under control.
This is not the first incident in which police officials have been attacked by militants or miscreants living in Anantnag, one of the region worst affected by militants. In last few days as the cases of violence are reported in large numbers in the Valley, the security officials are worried after local miscreants are burning schools, which they believe is a changing pattern.
Award Winner Retired DSP Thrashed By Army
Pulwama: A retired police officer on Monday was beaten black and blue while his residential house was damaged by government forces when shortly after clashes Army personnel from 53 Rashtriya Rifles barged into houses and created havoc in Rohmu area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
“I’m a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police and a Meritorious Presidential Medal winner, I informed the raiding army men but they wouldn’t listen to me and went on rampage,” Ghulam Hasan Rather said. “They thrashed me and my children without any provocation.”
The retired police officer wondered if he was maltreated by the army, what they would be doing to a common man.
Rather suffered a fracture in his left leg. “The Army men thrashed whosoever came their way. They not only broke my leg but beat up my children also. They damaged my house and smashed the window panes of my two storey building,” he said adding that Army action shocked him.
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