After three days of curfew and shutdowns, Kashmir Valley limps back to normalcy

Srinagar: After three days of curfew, restrictions and separatist-called protest shutdowns, life returned to normal in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday.

Although higher secondary schools and colleges in Srinagar city and other districts were shut by authorities to prevent student protests, most of daily life resumed as usual.

Shops, public transport, banks, post offices, government offices and other businesses started functioning in Srinagar on Wednesday morning.

Pedestrian and vehicular movement brought the city back to its hustle and bustle, which was missing in the past three days.

Taxis carrying tourists to Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and other destinations also started early morning as boatmen on the Dal Lake looked forward to a busy schedule after three days off work.

Authorities did not impose curfew or restrictions anywhere in the city.

Separatists have also not issued any new protest programmes. They had called for two days of complete shutdown on Sunday and Monday before calling for a protest march to Tral town on Tuesday.

The march to Tral, hometown of slain Hizbul commander Sabzar Bhat, was to offer fourth day funeral prayer (fateha) for Bhat and his associate Faizan Ahmad, who were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Saimough village of Pulwama district on Saturday.

Bhat had succeeded Burhan Wani as the Hizbul commander, after Wani was killed in a gunfight in Kokarnag area of Anantnag district on 8 July, 2016.

Wani’s death triggered a summer of discontent and months of violence in Kashmir that left nearly a hundred people dead.