Curfew clamped in some parts of Kashmir Valley

After five days of calm, violence erupted in Anantnag on Monday when a boy died of injuries sustained in a protest. Curfew was imposed in Srinagar, Anantnag and the adjoining Pulwama district this morning as a precautionary measure

Policemen try to shield themselves from a stone-pelting mob in Srinagar on Monday. Photo: PTI

Curfew was today clamped in Srinagar, Anantnag and Pulwama districts and restrictions were imposed on the movement of people in parts of Budgam following tension in the wake of the killing of a youth on Monday.

Tension mounted in Anantnag, 55 kms from here, last evening as a youth, Irshad Ahmad Parray, who was among several persons injured when security forces opened fire to disperse slogan-shouting protestors at Sherbagh area, died of injuries in a Srinagar hospital, police said.

To prevent any untoward incident, curfew was imposed in Anantnag and adjoining Pulwama district this morning as a precautionary measure, they said.

They said curfew was also imposed in Srinagar this morning as people took to the streets in Maisuma in the heart of the city following rumours that one of the eight persons injured in the firing died in a hospital.

Police said the condition of the injured identified as Yasir Rafiq Sheikh was critical.

Eight persons including three close kin of JKLF Chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik were injured when police opened fire to quell a stone-pelting mob in the locality yesterday.

In the city, curfew was clamped in areas falling under police stations of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, M R Gunj, Soura, Nigeen, Zadibal, Hazratbal, Dalgate, Maisuma, Kralkhud, Shaheedgunj, Batmaloo, Qammerwari, Dalgate, Ram Munish Bagh, Tourist Reception Centre and Lal Bazar, police said.

In the rest of the areas of the city, restrictions have been imposed on the movement of people, they said.

However, law enforcing agencies have been advised to allow the movement of government employees after showing their identity cards.

Restrictions on the movement of people have also been imposed in Hyderpora and Budgam towns of central Kashmir’ Budgam district.

Shops, educational institutions, banks and private offices remained closed and all modes of transport was off the roads in response to the separatists’ call for strike up to 5 PM.

The Valley was rocked by violence following the death of a teenager on June 11 after he was allegedly hit by a teargas shell near Rajouri Kadal area of old city. Street protests broke out in the Valley which has claimed 65 lives so far.