Afzal Guru hanging: Curfew continues in Kashmir Valley

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley remained under curfew for the third day today even as mobile Internet services remained suspended and newspapers failed to hit the stands following hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.


The restrictions on the movement of people in the Valley were further tightened this morning in view of apprehension of widespread protests to commemorate the 29th death anniversary of JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.

Bhat, who was sentenced to death for murder of a police officer, was hanged inside Tihar Jail on this day in 1984. Protests continued in many parts of the Valley yesterday against hanging of Guru, forcing security forces to impose strict restrictions on civilian movement.

Only ambulances and staff of essential services department have been issued curfew passes to facilitate their movement. Two persons have died and at least 50 others, including 23 policemen, injured in clashes between protestors and law enforcing agencies across the Valley since Saturday.

Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary CRPF remained in place in all vulnerable areas of the Valley to prevent any law and order problems. The situation today is peaceful so far with no reports of any untoward incident from anywhere in the Valley, official sources said.

Meanwhile, mobile Internet services remained down for the third day as a precautionary measure. Newspapers also failed to hit stands this morning due to curfew.