Curfew, Shutdown continue in Valley; Army asked to ‘Secure Highways, Stop Protests’

Government-enforced curfew and separatist-called shutdown continued for an unprecedented 31st day on Monday in the Kashmir Valley as the death toll in the month-long unrest mounted to 58 after an injured civilian succumbed at a hospital here.
There were more violent protests across the valley in which at least a dozen civilians were wounded, a police spokesman said here.
The civilians were wounded in clashes with the security forces in the south Kashmir highway town of Bijbehara. Police said the injured have been shifted to hospital for treatment.
An angry mob torched a police post in north Kashmir Sumbal town after one person died in a road accident involving an army vehicle. The deceased identified as Mohammad Ashraf Mir was hit by an army mine-proof vehicle while he was driving his car.
Authorities continued with curfew in south Kashmir towns of Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam while restrictions were imposed for the 31st consecutive day in the old city areas of Srinagar and in Handwara, Sopore, Kupwara and Baramulla towns.
Earlier, an injured youth, Amir Bashir, of south Kashmir Shopian district who was injured in a clash with security forces on August 5, succumbed at a Srinagar hospital.
Separatists leaders continued to remain under preventive detention here. They have given a protest calendar till August 12 asking people to shut shops, businesses, offices and schools.
All educational institutions, business establishments and public transport have remained closed for over a month in the valley. Widespread protests erupted in the Valley on July 9, a day after Hizbul ‘commander’ Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces.
Amid continued unrest in Kashmir for a month now, the Army has been directed to secure the Highway-1 and cut off movement of people from rural to urban areas for joining protests. While there was no official word over the move, sources in the know of development said on Monday that the CRPF, which assists the local police for maintaining law and order, has been pulled out from the road opening work and army has been asked to do Highway Domination and Corridor Protection (HIDCOP) that was done by the para military force.
The army which has ‘Victor’ force in South Kashmir and ‘Kilo’ force in North Kashmir for counter militancy operations has also been asked to ensure that people from rural areas did not move towards the urban centres to join the protests, the sources said.
During the current unrest, people living alongside the highway used to reportedly gather at the Srinagar-Anantnag-Jammu Highway, linking the Valley with the rest of the world and disturb the vehicular movement. The army, according to the sources, has now been asked to prevent movement of people towards the road.
The Valley has been on the boil since July 8 after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani. Widespread protests have so far left over 50 people dead and hundred others injured.
The CRPF, which has been deployed in heavy numbers for maintaining law and order, had informed the state authorities that it is difficult for it to ensure road opening along the Highway.
The para-military force has also complained that Tehsildars and Naib-Tehsildars, who act as duty magistrates issuing orders, were not usually available leaving its personnel clueless about action to be taken in the case of protests, the sources said.
The army has also been asked to secure vehicular movement along the Srinagar-Kupwara-Uri highway in North Kashmir and deploy its men in case of protests, the sources said.
According to eyewitnesses, army personnel also carried out a march in Sonawar locality in the heart of Srinagar city.