Curfew continue to wrap Valley for 28 Consecutive day

• Internet services suspended in Jammu amid growing unrest in Chenab valley
• Protests in Surankote amid shutdown against Kashmir killings
• ‘Dargah Chalo’: Mirwaiz to march towards Hazratbal at 2 pm

Curfew continued in Kashmir valley for consecutive 28th day on Friday. Mobile and internet services have been temporarily suspended in Jammu. A shutdown is being observed in Doda, Banihal and Kishtwar region of the state.
Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973, which empowers a magistrate to prohibit an assembly of more than ten people in an area, is in force in Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts.
According to reports, 62 people, including 60 civilians and two policemen, have so far lost their lives in the present unrest in the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces on July 8.
For the last 28 days, authorities allowed traffic on the strategic highway only during the night. The highway remains shut during the day as protesters at various places in south Kashmir either physically block the road or resort to heavy stone pelting on passing traffic.
Amarnath Yatra pilgrims also use the highway to reach the cave shrine in Kashmir. Since the Valley has been reeling under officially imposed curfew and the protest shutdown called by the separatists since July 9, various retail outlets are already running thin with supplies as the highway is the only route for various essentials to reach Kashmir.
In a massive crackdown, the police has also arrested nearly 500 youth to curb the ongoing violence in Kashmir and to curtail ‘hooligans and miscreants,’ a police spokesman said. More than 50 persons have been killed, including two policemen, and nearly 6000 others injured in the ongoing street protests in Kashmir since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and his two associates in an encounter with security.
Initially, the authorities imposed curfew across the Valley to curb the protests but the strategy failed as more and more people took to the streets. A senior police official said the security agencies are using video footage and photographs to pinpoint the “trouble mongers and instigators” among the protesters.

Mobile Internet services were suspended in Jammu region on Friday after pro-freedom protests and escalating tension over Kashmir civilian killings in Chenab valley region of the state.
“Ten days after the restoration of mobile internet services in Jammu region, the facility to mobile phone and internet data card users was suspended again on Friday morning,” reported The Indian Express.
The measure, it said, was taken in view of the mounting tension in Chenab Valley region where people observed partial to total bandh to express their solidarity with the people of Kashmir who have been agitating for the last 27 days over the killing of protesters in retaliatory action by forces.
Bandh was observed on Thursday in Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and Doda towns where masjid committees asked people to observe bandh in protest over the killing and injuries to a large number of youth in pellets firing by government forces in the Valley.
Some of the people sitting on dharna at Kishtwar bus stand even raised
Anti-India and pro-freedom slogans were raised by protesters sitting on a dharna at Kishtwar bus stand.
Besides, a candle-light march was organized in the town on late Thursday evening.
“In view of indications of prevailing unrest spilling over to Chenab Valley, authorities decided to suspend mobile internet services across Jammu region as well. This followed a request from administration late last night,” report quoting sources said.
Earlier these services, after having remained suspended for 16 days, were restored in the region on July 26.
While in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah, bandh was partial with only Muslims keeping their shutters down, it was complete in Banihal and Doda. The vehicular traffic was also off the roads.
The people in Banihal town and its outskirts have been observing bandh for the last three days as they have decided to follow the five day hartal calendar issued by “joint resistance leadership’’ in Kashmir which has now been extended to August 12.
Muslims in Surankote on Friday staged a protest against the civilian killings in Kashmir valley amid a complete shutdown.
Reports said that Muslims closed their shops and other business establishments to protest the innocent killings. A peaceful protest is also being held against the killings, they said.
Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq would march towards Dargah Hazratbal at 2 pm, a party statement said today. “In view of the Joint Resistance Leadership Programme, APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Dr. Molvi Mohammad Umar Farooq will march towards Dargah Hazratbal today at 2 pm,” it added.
A strict curfew has been imposed in Srinagar today to foil a proposed march to Hazratbal Shrine by pro-freedom leadership.