The normal life remained crippled in Kashmir for the second consecutive day on Monday following a shutdown call by the separatist groups in the backdrop of an encounter that led to the killing of two terrorists, including Sabzar Bhat of Hizbul Mujahideen, and a civilian protester on Saturday. The authorities imposed curfew-like restrictions in most parts of Srinagar and held several separatist leaders under house-arrest to prevent escalation of situation.
The situation turned grim in the Valley on Saturday when security forces shot dead a most-wanted terrorist Sabzar Ahmad Bhat alias Soba Don, along-with his newly-recruited associate Faizan Ahmad Bhat, during a chance encounter at Saimoh village in Tral subdivision of south Kashmir. A patrolling party of the Army and counter-insurgency police intercepted the militant group in an alley of a large village with mixed Sikh and Muslim population, before the terrorists took shelter in a residential house belonging to a policeman. A 16-hour gun-battle resulted into death of two militants even as two houses were severely damaged during the gunfight.
Sabzar was one of the top-ranking commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen and had been very close to Burhan Wani whose death in July 2016 triggered a massive anti-India uprising in the Valley. Infact, Sabzar joined the militant ranks a few days after Wani’s elder brother Khalid Muzaffar was killed in a controversial encounter in April 2015. He snatched a paramilitary man’s rifle before joining the militant ranks. He carried an award of Rs10 lakh on his head.
A civilian youth from Khanqah village of Tral also died near the encounter site when people in large numbers attempted to storm the encounter site to help the holed up militants rescue. locals said that they saw two terrorists coming alive from the encounter site when the security forces withdrew from the area. Police said the civilian died during cross-fire.
The separatists called for two-day shutdown against the killings. Despite the onset of month of fasting, thousands of people attended the funeral of the slain militants and continued to throng Sabzar’s home at Rathsuna, around 45 kilometers from here, and the encounter site at Saimoh. Several militants including top commander Zakir Musa surfaced at the funeral. Separatists have asked people to march to Tral town on Tuesday.
To prevent escalation of the situation, the authorities imposed curfew in seven police station areas of Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Maharaja Ranbir Gunj, Safa Kadal, Kralkhud and Maisuma on the second consecutive day. Restrictions remained imposed in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Badgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kupwara and Baramulla districts.
All business establishments and markets remained closed while as public transport was off the roads. Fearing student protests, all educational institutions were shut on the orders of the authorities. All Kashmir University and other university exams scheduled were postponed. Train services also remained suspended on Monday for the second consecutive day. The attendance in government offices remained affected due to the shutdown.
Senior separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have been placed under house arrest while JKlF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik, who had surfaced in Tral area, was arrested and shifted to the central jail in Srinagar.
Mobile internet and prepaid mobile outgoing services continued to remain suspended since Saturday afternoon.
Even as the situation remained by and large normal, the tension is writ large across the Valley as separatists have announced Tral march on Tuesday. Dozens of protesters have been injured in incidents of stone-pelting and retaliatory action from the security forces. A youngster from south Kashmir’s Mattan area remained in critical condition in a Srinagar hospital when last reports came in.