Curfew relaxed in several areas of Valley

Rigid curfew clamped on various cities and towns of Kashmir Valley on Saturday as a preventive measure in the wake of Afzal Guru’s execution was lifted from a few areas in and outside summer capital Srinagar on Wednesday. Also relaxation of varied durations by rotation was allowed in some other parts on Tuesday evening and also on Wednesday during which people rushed to makeshift marketplaces for purchases of food items and essential commodities. Kashmir’s top-ranking official divisional commissioner Asgar Samoon has asked the government employees to report to duty assuring them their identity cards will be treated as curfew movement passes. “Curfew was lifted or relaxation in restrictions given in the areas where situation remained peaceful,” said a senior police official. A police handout issued here in the evening said that curfew was relaxed from 9 am onwards in areas of police stations Kakpora, Lassipora, Rajpora and in Awantipora in southern Pulwama district from 10 am onwards. In Kupwara district, curfew was relaxed from 10 am onwards in the areas of police station Kupwara, Kralpora, Sogam and Lalpora. In Srinagar district, the curfew was relaxed from 9 am onwards in the areas of police stations Ram Munshi Bagh, Kothibagh, Sadder, Rajbagh, Lal Bazaar, Nigeen, Zakoora, Pantha Chowk, Parimpora, Bemina and Nowgam. In Baramulla, the curfew was partially lifted for two hours from 4 pm in some areas of police station Baramulla and also in Sopore in similar fashion in areas of Sopore police station for two hours only. In central town of Budgam, the curfew was relaxed from 10 to 12 AM and extended till late afternoon. Latest reports from across the Valley say that the curfew has been relaxed “indefinitely” in some more areas in view of the improvement in the situation. A report from northern town of Bandipore said huge protests were held there during the curfew relaxation. Srinagar and some other Valley areas are likely to witness a security clampdown again on Friday as separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has asked people to converge at Srinagar’s Idgah grounds for a rally to pay homage to Guru.