Curfew, separatist shutdown enters 14th day in Kashmir

Move implemented to prevent escalation of violence, a senior officer informed; schools reopen in four districts

Life remained paralysed in the Valley on Thursday for the 14th day as authorities continued to impose curfew following extension in the separatists called protest shutdown.

Separatist leaders, including Syed Ali 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 officer said.

The state government, however, decided to open schools in 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 of the state government said.

After remaining suspended for five days, all vernacular 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," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, the regional National Conference (NC) has decided to boycott the all party meeting called by the state chief minister to discuss measures to end the present unrest.

Ram Madhav, national general secretary of the BJP and 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 have been killed in the Valley.