Burhan Wani death anniversary: Centre suspends Amarnath Yatra, snaps mobile internet in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: The government suspended Amarnath Yatra and snapped mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley on Sunday, the death anniversary of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani who was killed along with his two colleagues in 2016.

Armed forces sealed Tral, the hometown of Wani in southern Kashmir, imposed curfew in several other parts of the Valley and arrested or detained all Hurriyat leaders and activists to avoid any congregations, even as the Hurriyat called for a shutdown in Kashmir.

Business establishments and Sunday markets remained closed and public transport remained off the roads during the day.


Meanwhile, the Hizb released a photograph of a few new recruits around Wani’s anniversary, including that of an IPS officer posted in the northeast. The youth has been code named Burhan-e-Sani, which means the second Burhan, on its social media post. He has been missing since May.

Last week, national security adviser Ajit Doval, while chairing a meeting in Srinagar, deliberated on the challenges of militancy and asked the armed forces to explain the reasons of increasing recruitment of locals into the militant ranks.

The joint Hurriyat leadership that called for the shutdown on July 8 had also urged people to observe a complete blackout after 8 pm to protest against the death of three people in Army firing in Kulgam on Saturday. Some parts of the Chenab Valley, including Baderwah, also observed shutdown. Train services from Baramullah to Banihal were suspended.

The government deployed police and paramilitary forces on all major roads and the highway was completely sealed, as there was information of possible militant attack on Wani’s anniversary.

Hundreds of people including Amarnath yatris, who had left Jammu despite suspension of Yatra, were stranded as authorities had closed the Jammu-Srinagar highway and the Mughal road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the state.

Amarnath Yatra started on June 28, and till now 83,130 pilgrims have visited the holy cave.