Valley limps back after 3 days of curfew

POSTMILITANT’S DEATH Colleges and higher secondary schools across Kashmir remained closed as a precautionary measure

days after the killing of Hizbul militant Sabzar Bhat in an encounter in south Kashmir, the valley returned to normalcy with curfew, restrictions and shutdown lifted.

Traffic plied normally on all routes and shops and offices reopened after three days.

The government, however, kept higher secondary schools and colleges across Kashmir closed as a precautionary measure on Wednesday. The step comes after the Valley has seen sporadic student protests over the past few weeks.

The separatist leadership gave a two-day shutdown call and asked people to march to Tral, the hometown of Bhat, on Tuesday.

Mobile internet services continue to remain suspended.

Curfew-like restrictions were imposed on Sunday 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.

The restrictions were placed following the killing of Sabzar and his colleague in the encounter in Soimoh area of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district a day earlier.

Meanwhile, at least four policemen were injured when suspected militants lobbed a grenade outside a police station in Sopore town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday evening, officials said.

“A grenade blast occurred outside a police station in Sopore and four cops were injured,” said an official at the police control room in Sopore.

The identities of the injured were being ascertained, the official added.

A PTI report said the incident took place around 4.10pm, and the police party was deployed near a bank in Sopore town. Security forces rushed to the scene and started a probe into the attack.

In a separate incident, two people were wounded after they were attacked by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday night in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, some 65km from Srinagar.

Police said the gunmen opened fire on one Abdul Rashid Lone, 60, a resident of Khanpora, when he was returning home after offering night prayers in a local shrine.

AT LEAST FOUR COPS WERE INJURED WHEN SUSPECTED MILITANTS LOBBED A GRENADE OUTSIDE A POLICE STATION IN SOPORE