Security lockdown in tense Valley

Srinagar: The local police and Central paramilitary forces in riot gear enforced a security lockdown in vast areas of Srinagar, the summer capital of restive Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday to hold back protests called by separatist leaders against alleged human rights violations.

Elsewhere in the Kashmir Valley, main market places were shut and vehicular traffic was disrupted after a shutdown call issued by “Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL)”, an alliance of key separatist leaders, to mark the World Human Rights Day. The impact of the strike call was, however, comparatively less in some Valley areas, reports pouring in here said.

The JRL, various other separatist parties and also some main Opposition mainstream parties, accused the security forces of inflicting excesses on local population while combating a 28-year-old militancy and intermittent civilian unrests in Kashmir. The charge is strongly denied by the latter. The authorities also say that dozens of uniformed men have been punished for using excessive force or committing human rights violations while discharging their duties.

However, the world human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Asia Watch recently asked India to improve its human rights record further in J&K. They also renewed the demand for withdrawal of the AFSPA. Some J&K political parties including ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party which rules the State in partnership with BJP and opposition National Conference too have repeatedly asked for repeal of the contentious AFSPA.