Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 31: Normal life resumed in Kashmir today after being paralyzed for three days due to curfew-like restrictions and shutdown following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and his aide in a gunfight at Tral area of Pulwama district last Saturday.
However, a spontaneous shutdown was observed in Pulwama district while all the colleges and senior secondary schools remained closed in Valley. All the shops, commercial establishments, banks, fuel stations and Government offices reopened today in summer capital. The public and private transport was also back on the roads. The deployments of security forces were withdrawn from all the sensitive areas and there were no restrictions on civilian movement.
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The routine activities also resumed in other districts of Kashmir. After remaining suspend for one day, routine traffic movement on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and Mughal Road was allowed today. The vehicular movement on Srinagar-Leh Highway also resumed.
In Pulwama district, however, a shutdown was observed to mourn the killings of militants. Witnesses said most of the shops and commercial establishments were closed in Pulwama areas including in Tral – the hometown of Sabzar Bhat. During shutdown, youth clashed with security forces at Main Town and Tahab areas.
A chemist namely Ghulam Mohiuddin was injured after a teargas canister exploded in his hand at Pulwama town. He was shifted to local hospital for treatment and his condition is stated to be stable. Police said the situation across Kashmir remained peaceful and no major incident of law and order was reported. “Apart from two incidents of stone-pelting in Pulwama, one such incident was reported from Papchan in Bandipora district,” a police official said.
The normal life in Kashmir was severely hit after security forces gunned down Sabzar Bhat and his associate Faizan during a gunfight at Saimoh Tral on May 27. The killings triggered massive protests across Kashmir and subsequently separatists called shutdowns in Valley. To prevent violence and 2016-like situation, authorities had imposed strict curfew-like restrictions in South Kashmir and Srinagar.
While prepaid cellular network was restored across Kashmir yesterday but it continued to remain blocked in Tral and Awantipora areas of Pulwama district in view of the prevailing situation. A telecom official said that they have been directed by the authorities to keep mobile tower sites shut in both Awantipora and Tral areas. The mobile internet services for the fifth consecutive day also remained shut in entire Kashmir valley.
As a “precautionary measure”, colleges and Higher Secondary Schools remained closed across Kashmir today on Government instructions. Officials said the classwork in various districts of Kashmir will continue shall remain suspended tomorrow (June 1) as a “precautionary measure”.
According to District Magistrate Srinagar, classwork in all colleges and Higher Secondary Schools shall remain suspended. “The staff shall remain present in their respective institutions,” he said. In Budgam also, classwork in all Higher Secondary Institutions and Colleges shall remain suspended tomorrow as a “precautionary measure”. “However, the staff shall remain present in the institutions,” an official spokesman said.
According to the orders of District Magistrate Anantnag, all the educational institutions of the district including colleges shall remain closed tomorrow. Similarly, in Kulgam, the academic activity of all educational institutions including colleges shall remain suspended for tomorrow, the official spokesman said.
Meanwhile, according to District administration Ganderbal, classwork in Government Degree College Ganderbal, Government Degree College Kangan and Boys Higher Secondary School Ganderbal shall remain suspended tomorrow as a “precautionary measure”. Similarly according to District Magistrate Pulwama, all the Higher Secondary Institutions and Degree Colleges of the district shall remain closed tomorrow.
According to District Magistrate Shopian, classwork in all educational institutions of the district shall remain suspended tomorrow. The Deputy Commissioner Baramulla said classwork in all colleges and senior secondary institutes shall remain suspended tomorrow.
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