Kashmir Valley remains cut off for second day

At least 15 incidents of stone-throwing were reported in the past 48 hours in Srinagar and Awantipora districts. Some incidents continued for six hours.

An soldier stands guard on a deserted street as a child looks on during curfew in Srinagar on August 6, 2019.

The Kashmir Valley remained cut off for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as the government anticipated violence after Parliament passed a resolution ending Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in the Indian Union under Article 370.

The Hindu ’s Srinagar Correspondent could not send any despatch for lack of connectivity.

A senior official in Delhi said the “curfew-like” situation would continue for at least a week, and it would have to be monitored for three-four months.

As per the details accessed by

The Hindu , at least 15 incidents of stone-throwing were reported in the past 48 hours in Srinagar and Awantipora districts. Some incidents continued for six hours.

“One or two boys would come out, throw stones and go back; they would not stay out for long as they might be detained,” the official said.

An official said around 8,000 additional Central armed police personnel were rushed to the State on Monday. In the past 10 days,

32,000 additional personnel were deployed in the Valley . Another 32,000, deployed for the Amarnath Yatra, were

diverted to secure the interior districts . “The deployment of Central forces is based on verbal orders. There is no written communication any more because such orders leaked in the past, creating panic,” the official said.

Central forces posted in the north-eastern region were being sent to the Kashmir Valley. “There are the maximum number of boots on the ground. As of now, there are no personnel in reserve; there is 100% deployment,” the official said.

The last time the Valley came under a similar clampdown was in 2013 when the 2001 Parliament attack case convict Mohammad Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri, was hanged and buried in the Tihar Jail in Delhi.

“Curfew was imposed for around 10 days then. All major roads were blocked and people were prevented from coming out of their homes as protests and disturbance in law and order arrangements were expected after the hanging of Guru. But for two incidents, there was not much impact on the ground,” said the official.

The official added that the situation went out of control after Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on July 8, 2016 . “No one anticipated any large-scale violence after Wani’s death, but the Valley remained disturbed for almost six months. It all depends on how prepared the administration is,” the official said. As per government data, from July 8, 2016 to September 6, 2016, 1,732 law and order incidents were reported, and 62 people, including two security men, died. Several Kashmiris were blinded, having been hit by pellet guns, and 82 government buildings, including schools, were burnt or damaged.