Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 18: Life in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir valley today returned to normal after it remained paralysed for nine days due to curfew and strikes. However, in South Kashmir’s Pulwama town over a dozen persons including Central Reserve Police (CRPF) personnel were injured in fresh clashes that broke out this morning.
Life remained paralysed for seven days due to curfew that was imposed by the authorities on February 9 ahead of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging. This was followed by two day strike call against Guru’s hanging by hardline faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Shops, business establishments, banks, post offices and Government offices opened in summer capital and public transport plied normally since February 8.
Students in large numbers attended tuitions and coaching classes in Srinagar and other major towns.
Markets were busy with shoppers as people were mostly seen buying essentials. At several places there were traffic jams as large number of commuters were seen on roads since morning.
After improvement in situation, the train service between Qazigund in South Kashmir and Central Kashmir district of Budgam was restored this afternoon after, nine days. Authorities assessed the situation before starting the services at around 2 p.m.
The train services resumed under tight security and under the supervision of senior railway security officials, Chief Area Manager Northern Railways in Budgam, security commissioner Northern Railways and many police officials and local magistrates of the area.
“70,000 to 80,000 passengers travel in train in Kashmir every day and railways suffered losses to the tune of over Rupees one crore,” a railway official said in Budgam.
The train services in Kashmir were suspended on November 9, the day when Afzal Guru was hanged. “The services that operate between Qazigund in South to Baramulla in North Kashmir were suspended as the Government feared damages to railway property,” the railway officials said.
Railway officials said that it suspended its service as it passes through many volatile areas of the Valley and keeping in view the damage it suffered during 2010 unrest.
While life in entire Kashmir returned to normal, the authorities in South Kashmir district of Pulwama had to impose restrictions and deploy police and para-military CRPF in full strength in the township after a group of protesters pelted stones on CRPF and police leading to clashes.
Reports said that as soon as the markets in the township opened and traffic resumed after 9 days a group of stone throwing protesters appeared in Muran Chowk and pelted stones on Police and targeted Police Station Pulwama. Police restored to baton charging and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters.
The para-military CRPF was called in and protesters attack one of their vehicles in which 4 CRPF men were injured. Police and CRPF used force to quell the protesters in which around one dozen persons were injured.
Reports said that this was followed by protests in Main Chowk Pulwama, Pinglana and Newa. Police used tear-smoke and charged batons to disperse the protesters. Police and CRPF then imposed restrictions on the movement of people to restore calm in the township.
A police spokesman said here that some miscreants pelted stones on passing vehicles in Pulwama in the morning. “One person Shahid Malik son of Mohammad Shafi Malik resident of Newa, Pulwama was injured in left arm”, he added.
Police later rounded up and detained around 20 persons from township on charges on disturbing peace in the township. However, locals said that majority of them are the students who were on way to tuition centres.
Three people died across Kashmir during in clashes with the security forces in the aftermath of Guru’s hanging during past 9 days while around 100 were injured. However, police maintains that two persons among the three drowned in river Jehlum when their boat capsized but locals say that they were being chased by police that led to their drowning.
Police said that they arrested 53 stone pelters, miscreants and trouble makers across Kashmir valley during past 9 days. However, residents alleged that over 200 people were detained since trouble broke out in Kashmir in the aftermath of Guru’s hanging.
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