Kashmir peaceful but separatists' strike hits normal life

Situation across Kashmir was peaceful today with no untoward incident being reported from anywhere but normal life remained affected for the 97th day because of separatist-sponsored strike.
While interior areas of Srinagar city were placed under curfew to maintain law and order, there were no curbs on the movement of people anywhere else in Kashmir.
Curfew was in place in five police station areas, a police official said.
However, restrictions on the assembly of four or more people at a place under Section 144 CrPc were in force throughout the Valley.
"The situation across Kashmir remained peaceful and there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere," a police spokesman said.

Security forces had been deployed in sensitive areas to maintain law and order as also to instill a sense of security among the people so that they could carry out their day-to-day activities without fear.

There was increased movement of private transport and auto-rickshaws in the civil lines areas of the city including around the commercial hub of Lal Chowk here, an official said.
But normal life elsewhere in the Valley remained affected for the 97th consecutive day because of strike called by the separatists.
Shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and educational institutions remained closed while public transport continued to be off the roads.

Shops and other business establishments open during the periodic relaxation in the strike announced by the separatists on some days of the week.
Police, meanwhile, continued its crackdown against those alleged involved in disrupting normal activities in the valley by indulging in stone-pelting and other forms of violence.
"The drive launched by the police to nab the miscreants and the people involved in the disruption of normal activities continued and during past 24 hours 52 more such people were arrested," the police spokesman said.