Protests against killing of Khamenei: Restrictions continue in Kashmir

Restrictions on movement of people in Kashmir valley were intensified on Friday as authorities apprehended protests against the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after congregational prayers this afternoon.

Normal life in the valley has been disrupted for the sixth consecutive day due to protests over the killing of Khamenei in US-Israel joint strikes.

The restrictions were imposed on Monday after spontaneous protests broke out across Kashmir a day earlier against the killing.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday held a meeting with civil society representatives and religious leaders as part of efforts to bring the situation back to normalcy.

After the meeting, Abdullah appealed to people to maintain peace.

The protests have waned after the meeting convened by the chief minister with the number of places affected due to law and order situation dropping from several dozen on Tuesday to less than 10 on Thursday.

The government has shut educational institutions till Saturday, and reduced mobile internet speeds.

A large number of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed across the city in the early hours to prevent gatherings of protestors, the officials said.

They added that concertina wires and barricades were placed at important intersections leading into the city, while asserting that these were precautionary measures imposed to maintain law and order.

The iconic Ghanta Ghar in the city centre of Lal Chowk here continued to remain a no-go zone after the authorities sealed area with barricades erected all around it on late Sunday night.

The move to seal the Ghanta Ghar came after it witnessed massive protests on Sunday after Khamenei's assassination.

This is the first time since August 2019 -- when Article 370 was revoked -- that protests on such a large scale have taken place in Kashmir.