Break ends, Valley back to shutdown routine

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 26

The Kashmir valley returned to its routine – shutting down markets and businesses – as the longest break in shutdown ended on Monday morning and the region continued to remain in the grip of unrest.

The markets and commercial centres that were jam-packed on Sunday afternoon, when the shutdown was relaxed by separatists steering the unrest, were again shut and deserted as shutdown resumed this morning.

The partial movement of traffic, mainly private vehicles, was restricted to few commercial neighbourhoods of Srinagar and the footfall significantly came down in the afternoon.

The shutdown resumed as the 16-hour relaxation called by the separatists ended while the unrest, which has relaxed in intensity in recent days, continues to affect normal life even in its thirteenth consecutive week.

The unrest sparked by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 evening had led to widespread and intense protests leading to an uninterrupted spell of shutdown so far. More than 80 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in the unrest.

The police have launched a major crackdown on protesters, making arrests on a daily basis across the region. This has dented the intensity of demonstrations, but the weekly calendar of protests and shutdown, issued by the separatists, continues to guide the unrest.

“People are following the calendar and this was reflected in what happened yesterday when the markets opened and today when the markets are closed. It suggests that separatists continue to influence the street and the unrest is likely to continue for some more time,” a political observer here said.

In the districts of south Kashmir, which had emerged as the epicentre of the ongoing unrest, the intensity of protests has significantly reduced as many residents there are now busy harvesting apples, residents of several south Kashmir districts said.

There is also a scare, a resident of Pulwama district said, because of the crackdown launched by the police. It, however, remains speculative whether the protests will resume in south Kashmir districts after the harvesting season ends.

“The people are not in a mood to end protests. They say protests will be resumed once the harvesting is done. The anger has not subsided at all,” said Javed Ahmad, a resident of Anantnag district, which registered the maximum number of deaths during the ongoing unrest.

4 stone-throwers held for targeting vehicles 

Srinagar: The police have arrested four persons for throwing stones on civilian vehicles and injuring many people, including some Haj pilgrims, near Singhpora on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway on Sunday. A police spokesman said a case was registered at the Pattan police station. —TNS

Police foil MLA Rashid’s march

Srinagar: At least six protesters were injured and nearly 150 were detained, including Independent legislator Engineer Sheikh Rashid, who had called for a march to the UN office in Srinagar today. “Six protesters sustained injuries and about 150 protesters, including Rashid, were arrested by the police while the police foiled a march towards the UN office here,” said a statement issued by Rashid’s political front — Awami Ittihad Party. Dozens of protesters defying police restrictions started a march from Regal Chowk towards the UN office in Sonawar, carrying black flags and shouting slogans in favour of plebiscite. However, police and CRPF men  stopped them near Sher-i-Kashmir park and dispersed the protesters. — TNS