Curfew continues for 13th day in Kashmir Valley

Life remained paralysed for the 13 day in Kashmir Valley as authorities continued to impose curfew on Thursday, following extension in the separatists called protest shutdown.

Separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik on Wednesday had announced an extension in the protest shutdown till Monday. “To prevent escalation of violence, it has been decided to impose curfew in most of the parts of the valley today (Thursday) as well,” a senior police official said. The state government, however, decided to open schools in the four districts of Ganderbal, Badgam, Bandipora and Baramulla.

“To reach places of their duties, identity cards of teachers/government employees shall be treated as curfew passes,” an official said. After remaining suspended for five days, all regional and English language newspapers resumed publication in the valley on Thursday.

The editors decided to resume publication following their meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti where she



regretted the decision to have suspended newspaper publication by authorities. Officials said there was no major clash anywhere in the valley between stone pelting mobs and the security forces.

“No major incident of violence took place anywhere in the valley on Wednesday. However, one person injured in clashes in Kupwara district last Saturday died in a Srinagar hospital yesterday (Wednesday),” a police officer said. Meanwhile, the National Conference has decided to boycott the all party meeting called by the Chief Minister to discuss measures to end the present unrest.

Ram Madhav, national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the party in-charge of Kashmir affairs, has reached here to discuss the prevailing situation in the valley with the Chief Minister.

The violence started on July 9, a day after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces. Forty five people including 43 civilians and two local policemen, were killed in the clashes in the Valley.