Restrictions in Valley ahead of Burhan death anniv

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 7

Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in several parts of Kashmir as tensions mounted ahead of the second death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani.

The restrictions were imposed in the Tral area of south Kashmir, Burhan’s native town, and parts of Srinagar city to ensure peace. While there were restrictions in some parts, a shutdown was observed in the Valley to protest the arrest and shifting of Asiya Andrabi, chief of the Kashmiri hardline separatist group Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), to Delhi by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

In Tral, a large number of security personnel were deployed and all roads leading to the town were sealed to ensure no major gathering. Locals said announcements were made in Tral by the authorities asking people not to come out of their houses.

“The situation remained peaceful in Tral,” Mohammad Zahid, Superintendent of Police, Awantipora, said. The curfew is likely to continue in the town on Sunday.

In Srinagar, restrictions were imposed in the Nowhatta and Maisuma areas. In other areas where there was no restriction, heavy deployment of forces was in place to handle any untoward situation.

Burhan Wani, the poster boy of the Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in a gunfight in south Kashmir’s Kokarnag area on July 8, 2016. His killing triggered six-month unrest in Kashmir that led to the killing of 78 persons in the Valley.

The authorities have taken various measures to ensure peace on his anniversary as Kashmiri separatists have called for a shutdown on Sunday.

The three key separatists are either under detention or house arrest. While Yasin Malik was detained on Friday, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani remain under house detention. The authorities also suspended mobile Internet across the Valley.

Meanwhile, a shutdown called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) was observed across Kashmir over Asiya Andrabi’s shifting to Delhi by the NIA.

CRPF man hurt in grenade attack

A CRPF personnel was injured in a grenade attack at Hyderpora on the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday. “A grenade was lobbed at a CRPF party around 4 pm. In the incident, one personnel sustained injury in his wrist. He was taken to hospital,” a CRPF spokesman said.