Situation in Kashmir by and large peaceful

Barring two incidents of stone- pelting, the situation today was peaceful in Kashmir where curfew-like restrictions continued for the third consecutive day in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat in an encounter.
The curbs were in place in view of the separatists' call for a march to Tral area in south Kashmir's Pulwama district today to pay tributes to Sabzar and his associate who were killed in an encounter on Saturday last, officials said.
Incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Keller Chowk in Shopian district and Court Road Pinglish in Tral area of Pulwama district, a police spokesman said.

The security forces used force to disperse the aggressive mob, resulting in injuries to a stone-pelter and some security personnel.
The spokesman said the mob indulged in heavy stone- pelting on the security deployments at Pinglish but the forces used maximum restraint while dealing withthe situation.
"Except these incidents, the overall situation across Kashmir remained peaceful and under control," he said.

Curfew-like restrictions were in place in the districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian - all in south Kashmir, as also in seven police station areas of Srinagar and in Sopore township in north Kashmir, officials said.
In Srinagar, the curfew-like restrictions continued in the police station areas of Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Kralkhud and Maisuma, all in old city.

The officials said restrictions on the assembly of people under Section 144 CrPc also continued in the districts of Budgam and Ganderbal in central Kashmir.
The separatists -- chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, head of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik - had asked people to reach Tral in large numbers to pay tributes to the slain militants.
Malik himself was arrested from his residence here on Sunday, while Geelani and Mirwaiz are under house detention.
The separatist leaders had called for a shutdown for two days - Sunday and Monday.

Today, a spontaneous strike was observed in the areas where there were no restrictions.
Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments in these areas were shut, the officials said.
They said public transport was off the roads, but private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying.
The authorities have suspended mobile internet services in the valley, while the outgoing call facility on prepaid numbers has also been snapped as a precautionary measure.
The authorities have also suspended class work in all schools and colleges across Kashmir for today, while Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled to be held today.