Curfew in several towns and extended strike call by separatists crippled normal life in Kashmir for the fifth day on Wednesday. Situation remained tense as security forces shot dead another youngster in South Kashmir’s Anantnag town taking the toll to 35 following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen’s top militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
Separatists announced to extend the shutdown call till July 15. The normal life remained paralysed due to the strike call and heavy deployment of security forces. People in the curfew-bound areas said that they are facing acute shortage of essential commodities.
The mobile internet has been snapped across the Valley while select cellphone services are operational in most of the localities. The train services between Banihal and Baramulla have been halted since last weekend.
Meanwhile, Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, a resident of Khudwani in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, succumbed to his injuries at Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, on Wednesday morning.
The situation worsened in the evening when another youngster Hilal Ahmad Sofi (25) was shot dead by security forces at Harnag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag town. Massive protests erupted in the area after the killing.
Around 15,00 people with severe pallet and bullet injuries have been admitted in various hospitals in Srinagar.
The Jammu & Kashmir Government has sought services of eye surgeons for treating dozens of youth who are in danger of losing their eyesight after getting hit by pellets during protests.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti spoke to the Union Health Minister, JP Nadda on Wednesday morning requesting him to send a specialised team of doctors including retina surgeons to Kashmir to take care of the injured who have suffered ophthalmic and other traumas.
“We are expecting these specialised doctors to arrive here on Wednesday and get down to the job immediately,” a Health Department official said.
In Delhi, Health Ministry deputed a three member high-level team of eye specialists from AIIMS, New Delhi to the State to assist it in providing medical care to the people injured in the on-going law and order problem.
Sources said that maximum deaths have occurred in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of South Kashmir.
Curfew continued in most parts of Srinagar, Pampore and Anantnag towns of South Kashmir and Kupwara in North Kashmir.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti laid wreaths on the graves of the martyrs of 1931 at Naqshband sahib in old Srinagar at a subdued ceremony. The Martyr’s Day is observed to commemorate the killing of 22 people at the hands of feudal rulers’ Army on July 13, 1931.
The separatists had also announced to march towards the Martyr’s graveyard but the officials foiled their attempts.
Senior Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq attempted to break police barricades to come out from their residences where they have been put under house arrest. However, police personnel deployed in strength outside their residences took them into custody.