By Nazir Ganaie,Agence India Press,
Srinagar: With the relief in Separatists calendar designed by hardline Hurriyat group life in Indian administrated Kashmir returned to normal on Wednesday as authorities lifted curfew from four districts.
“Authorities have today completely lifted curfew restrictions from the whole of the Valley,” a police spokesman told Agence India Press.
Earlier curfew was clamped in four districts of the Valley on Tuesday.
Although violent protests were witnessed in some parts of Baramulla town in North Kashmir last evening, the preceding night passed off peacefully, he said.
“Situation at this hour is normal and under control throughout Kashmir. There are no reports of any untoward incident reported from any place,” the spokesman added.
He said three officers were among 11 policemen injured in clashes in Baramulla town yesterday. Six protestors were also injured in police action.
With the lifting of the curfew restrictions, markets in summer capital and other major towns of the Kashmir were abuzz with activity.
Markets were abuzz and the people were seen thronging the city shops. The students who had to fill the forms were also seen bee-lining outside the banks and collages.
“We try to do our all pending work in the normal days. The curfews clamped by the authorities have literally made us prisoners in our houses,” said a candidate Shariq of Baramulla.
“When it is normal days in Kashmir, authorities fail to streamline the huge traffic jams here, which also affects us,” he added.
Government, semi-government and private offices functioned normally while shops and business establishments opened after a gap of two days, official sources said.
All modes of transport were operating on all routes in the city and other inter-district routes, the sources said.
However, massive traffic jam was witnessed at many places in the city, leading to chaos on the roads. At some places, police personnel were seen assisting traffic policemen in regulating the movement of the vehicles.
Kashmir has been in the grip of violent protests since June 11 when a 17-year-old boy was killed after getting hit by a tear smoke shell during clashes at Rajouri Kadal in interior city. Atleast 111 civilians have been killed at the hands of the Police and Paramilitary forces.
The tertiary care hospitals remained swallowed with the victims of the police and Paramilitary firing.