Curfew in Srinagar to scuttle separatist march

SRINAGAR - Curfew was imposed in Srinagar and some major towns of Kashmir Valley to scuttle a protest march called by separatists Wednesday.

Curfew has been imposed in Srinagar city, Awantipora, Pattan, Palhalan, Kunzar, Sopore, Handwara, Kupwara and Kralpora towns as a preventive measure, a senior police officer said here.

The officer, however, said the movement of students and officegoers was not being disallowed in Srinagar city besides facilitating the passage of patients and other emergencies.

The intention of the administration to impose curfew is not to inconvenience the common man. It is intended to prevent miscreants from creating a law and order situation, the officer said.

Both the separatist Hurriyat groups headed by hardline leader Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq appealed to people to march to the office of the UN Military Observers Group (UNMOG) in uptown Sonwar area of summer capital Srinagar to protest the landing of the Indian Army in Kashmir on this day in 1947.

Shops, other businesses, public transport, banks and post offices remained closed in most parts of Srinagar city and other major towns of the Valley Wednesday.

Very little pedestrian and vehicular movement was seen on the city roads as police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were deployed in strength to maintain law and order.

At least 110 people have been killed in Kashmir Valley since the ongoing unrest started June 11.