By IANS,
Srinagar : Strict restrictions were imposed by authorities in this summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir Friday to thwart a rally planned by separatist leaders to protest the holding of assembly elections in the state.
“There is no curfew anywhere in the valley although section 144 of the criminal procedure code is being strictly enforced,” B. Srinivas, inspector general of police (Kashmir zone), said.
Separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who was scheduled to arrive here from New Delhi, had asked people to gather at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) for an anti-poll rally that he would address.
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group, had also announced his decision to address the TRC rally and then march to the north Kashmir district of Bandipora, where polling is scheduled to be held on Nov 17.
Traffic remained off the roads, while shops, educational institutions and banks remained closed Friday.
“We were not allowed to move out of our homes in the old city areas. There is heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces,” Ghulam Hassan Mir, a resident of Gojwara locality, said.