Authorities made a decision to impose curfew in the Valley on Tuesday for the 12th day running while separatists extended the protest shutdown for another three days here in Jammu and Kashmir. Shops, businesses, banks, private and government offices remained closed.
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Separatists have appealed the people to continue the shutdown till Monday. The journalists also held a protest against the alleged “clampdown” and termed it as an “attack on the freedom of press”. Imtiaz Hashmi, a passenger said his family went to Held Kashmir to celebrate Eid with his relative but could not return owing to curfew and deteriorating law and order situation.
“Some of the fresh units will exclusively render the task of road opening parties in order to secure the movement of security forces convoys”, a senior official said. Doctors in the region say hospitals are brimming with people that have been hit by rubber pellets.
Curfew was in force for the third consecutive day while normal life remained paralysed in the wake of deadly clashes that have rocked the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Terrorists nine days ago, leaving 40 dead and over 3,160 injured.
“To think that because BJP-PDP coalition is ruling there and that’s why there is this problem, is not correct”, Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha, replying to opposition charges.
Singh blamed Pakistan for the situation in Kashmir, and said Islamabad has never reconciled to Jammu and Kashmir being part of India.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has said he was shocked by the killing of Wani and the civilians.
Geelani shot off letter to United Nations secretary council, five veto powers, European Union, OIC, SAARC and ASEAN and set six conditions for return of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Home Minister said he had, on Saturday last, expressed desire to visit Kashmir and have a dialogue with the people directly.
Even as cable TV was restored, newspapers gag continued. Authorities have officially confirmed that newspaper owners were asked not to publish newspapers till July 19.
In the seven other districts of the valley, only mobiles of the government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNl) are working. One of the wounded is said to be critical.
“The protests and mob attacks are being mobilised using telephones”.
“The situation in the valley remained more or less under control”, a police spokesperson told IANS.
With a curfew entering its eleventh straight day, medical sources have expressed serious concern that a severe lack of blood donations and life-saving medicines could cause more deaths.
All supplies of essentials of life are routed into the landlocked Valley through this highway.
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Amid the current arrest, authorities have shut down printing presses and mobile networks, and have temporarily banned newspapers in what is a sweeping information blackout.
