Fresh protests in Banihal, Gool; Amarnath yatra resums

Fresh protests against the Ramban killings broke out in Banihal belt and in Gool even as the Amarnath yatra from Jammu resumed this evening after it was halted for two days.
Curfew was lifted in Ramban district but remained in force for the second day today in all major towns of Kashmir, as authorities kept a close watch on the situation after the killing of four people in BSF firing on Thursday in Gool area.
The Amarnath yatra from Jammu resumed this evening after it was halted in view of curfew imposed in many parts of Kashmir Valley, official said.

Slogan-shouting protestors blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Banihal belt and sat on a dharna demanding the arrest of the people involved in the firing incident. Fresh protests also broke out in Gool after the prayers.
The Highway was reopened to traffic after a two-day closure over tensions in Ramban district, police said.
"The highway has been reopened to vehicular traffic, which is now plying smoothly," SSP (National Highway), Virender Kumar said.

The SSP, however, added that some disruption in traffic movement was reported in Banihal belt due to protests there.
The authorities are monitoring the situation round-the- clock and additional forces have been deployed in sensitive areas of the Jammu region, a police spokesman said.

"The situation is under control. It is peaceful and normal. There have been no major incidents from anywhere today", a police spokesman said here.
Curfew has been lifted in Ramban district as the two-day curfew period expired last night and no fresh curfew orders were passed, officials said.
Normalcy returned to Gool, Dharam and Sanglandan areas of Ramban district, which have been epicentre of the protests.
Curfew, which was imposed in the Valley in the wee hours yesterday, remained in force in all areas of Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts and Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, Bijbehara and Sopore towns, official sources said.

Restrictions under section 144 CrPC, which does not permit assembly of four or more persons, have been imposed in rest of the Valley, the sources said.