Curfew in Kashmir for 43rd day: Govt staff asked to resume duties as protesters hit streets

Authorities on Saturday continued curfew and shutdown for the 43rd consecutive day paralysing life across Kashmir while incidents of stone-pelting were reported from over a dozen places in Kashmir on Friday. However, there were no casualties in the violence that took place. “Twenty-one incidents of stone pelting were reported after Friday prayers from Sopore, Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla, Handwara, Bandipora and Pulwama districts,” police spokesman said on Friday. However, there was no report of any casualty, he said. [caption id=“attachment_2966992” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A security jawan stops a motorcylist during 42nd day of curfew and strike in Srinagar on Friday. PTI[/caption] Police said curfew will remain in force in Anantnag town and parts of Srinagar city while restrictions will continue in other parts of the Valley. Earlier, authorities had extended curfew to many towns including Aripathan and Magam areas of Budgam district in view of the call for a march to Airpathan given by separatists against the death of four civilians in clashes between CRPF and protesters there on 16 August. The state government has advised its employees to resume duties failing which they would not be given salaries for the month of August. Employees have described the directive as “dictatorial and unjustified” given the prevailing law and order situation. Senior separatist leaders, Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq defied detention when they came out of house arrest and tried to march towards Aaripanthan village in Badgam district. Geelani and Mirwaiz were arrested and lodged at local police stations for some time before they were again placed under house arrest in Srinagar city. Geelani was arrested soon after he came out of his Hyderpora residence here to offer Friday prayers in Aripanthan, a spokesman of his organisation said while Mirwaiz, who was carrying a placard which read “stop state terrorism”, was also taken into preventive custody when he tried to lead a march to Aripanthan from his Nigeen residence in the outskirts of the city, moderate Hurriyat Conference said in a statement. The separatist camp, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, has extended the agitation till 25 August. They had called for a march to Aripthan area of Budgam on Friday. Schools, colleges and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off roads. The attendance in government offices was thin. Mobile internet and telephony services also remained suspended while for the sixth consecutive Friday, no prayers were allowed at the Jamia Mosque in Nowhatta area of old city Srinagar. As many as 64 persons including two police personnel have been killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes that began on 9 July. With inputs from PTI and IANS