Life returned to normal in Kashmir after two days of restrictions and shutdown in the wake of the killing of Zakir Musa – the so-called head of an Al-Qaeda affiliate – in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district, officials said.
They said restrictions on the movement of people were lifted Sunday, 26 May morning from all areas where they had remained imposed for the past two days.
“Normalcy returned to the Valley as there was no strike today and restrictions were lifted this morning. The situation remained peaceful throughout the day.”Officials
They said shops, fuel stations and other business establishments re-opened in the morning while public transport also plied normally.
The weekly flea market on the TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through the Lal Chowk city centre was also open, they added.
However, the officials said, restrictions on the assembly of people were imposed around Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta in the afternoon after vehicles passing through the area were pelted with stones by some youths.
Musa, the so-called head of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, was killed in an encounter with security forces at Dadsara village of Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Friday, 24 May.
Apprehending law and order problems, the authorities had imposed curfew in parts of the Valley as a precautionary measure on Friday. It continued on Saturday, 25 May in view of a strike called by hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the killing of Musa and a civilian Zahoor Ahmad, a resident of Naira Pulwama, who was killed by unidentified gunmen on Thursday.
Mobile internet was also suspended Thursday night across the Valley, but the low-speed service was restored in most parts Saturday evening following improvement in the situation.
However, the high-speed mobile interned continued to remain barred.
Normalcy Returns After Two Days of Curfew
The curfew had reached its second day on Saturday, 25 May, with the officials indicating curbs on the movement of people were in force in parts of Srinagar, and Kulgam and Pulwama towns.
Schools and colleges remained shut, while mobile internet continued to be suspended across the valley. Trains on the Baramulla-Banihal line remained off the tracks due to the situation, the officials said.
"Curfew continued to remain imposed in parts of the Kashmir valley today (Saturday) as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order," they said.
In Srinagar, the officials said, "strict restrictions" were in place in Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal and M R Gung police station areas, while "partial restrictions" were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas.
The officials said security forces have been deployed in strength in other parts of the valley to avoid any untoward incident.
Musa, the so-called head of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, was killed in the encounter at Dadsara village of Tral in the south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Friday after forces launched a search operation on late Thursday evening following specific information about the presence of militants there.
The officials said efforts were made to make Musa surrender, but the request fell on deaf ears and he lobbed grenades on the forces using a launcher, triggering a gunfight in which Musa was killed in the early hours of Friday.
His killing led to spontaneous shutdown and protests in the valley.
Meanwhile, most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments remained shut in the valley due to a strike called by hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the killing of Musa and a civilian Zahoor Ahmad, a resident of Naira Pulwama who was killed by unidentified gunmen on Thursday, the officials said.
They said public transport was off the roads, but few private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)