Life in most parts of Kashmir limping to normalcy, CM assures justice

Life in most parts of Kashmir started limping back to normalcy after remaining paralysed for five days due to strikes and protests, but restrictions continued as a precautionary measure in Handwara and Kupwara towns where five persons have been killed since Tuesday.

While internet services remained snapped across the valley, train services between Baramulla in Kashmir and Banihal, across the Pir Panjal mountain range, resumed on Sunday after remaining off the tracks for four days.

There were no restrictions in Srinagar on Sunday, which has so far passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the valley, a police official said.

He said that the restrictions, imposed on Wednesday in six police station areas of the city, were lifted as there were no major protests on Saturday or no call either for a shutdown.

Restrictions were imposed following the death of three persons during protests against alleged molestation of a girl by a soldier in Handwara town on Tuesday. Two more were killed on subsequent days of protests in Kupwara district.

However, the official said, strict curbs on the movement of people remained in force in some parts of north Kashmir, including Kupwara and Handwara towns, for the fifth day to maintain law and order.

Mobile internet services remained suspended across Kashmir to prevent rumour mongering but the ban may be revoked later in the day after assessing the situation, the official indicated.

He said the train services in the valley also resumed today after four days of suspension.

Severe damage to the train insfrastructure has been caused in the past during protests in Kashmir and the railway authorities have used suspension of services as a method to prevent further damage to their property.

Meanwhile, normal activities resumed on Sunday elsewhere in the Valley as no separatist group has called for a strike or protest for the day.

While government offices and educational institutions remained shut on account of being a Sunday, shops, fuel stations and other business establishments opened after four days in this capital city and across some other districts, the official said, adding that public transport was back on roads.

Besides three persons being killed on Tuesday, a youth was killed in Drugmulla area of Kupwara during protests against the Handwara incident a day after.

In fresh violence on Friday, 18-year-old Arif Hussain Dar was killed while three others sustained bullet injuries when army opened fire to disperse stone-pelting protestors outside a camp in Nathnusa area of Kupwara, 100 kms from Srinagar.

Two persons were injured in violent clashes that took place in Trehgam area of Kupwara district yesterday. Both the injured were shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday visited Handwara where she took stock of the situation and also met the kin of the deceased persons.

She also assured them that justice would be done.

Mehbooba chaired a high level meeting of the officers in winter capital Jammu on Saturday.

"We are holding this meeting in the backdrop of certain unfortunate incidents in the Kashmir valley," she said.

During the two hour long meeting, Mehbooba said she is 'confident of overcoming the challenges and focus entirely on ushering in a new era of development in the state.'

She warned the officers 'to remain vigilant and not allow the situation to drift so that they lose focus of their real agenda of bringing peace and development in the state.'

The chief minister said,"In case of emergencies, deputy commissioners and district police chiefs should be the first to reach the troubled spot."

"They should not let things come to a pass where they get out of control," she said according to an official statement.

Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh arrived on a day's official visit to Headquarters Northern Command at Udhampur on Sunday.

"The General was received by Lt. Gen. D. S. Hooda, who later briefed him on the overall security situation in the Command theatre," a defence spokesman said in a statement.

"The Army Chief interacted with the Corps Commanders and took a first-hand assessment of the prevailing internal security situation specifically in view of the recent incidents at Handwara and Nutnusa," the statement added.

With inputs from Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar/Rediff.com