A man was killed and several people were injured in firing as protesters clashed with security forces on Tuesday morning in Bandipore, less than 70 km from Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar. The death toll in violent clashes in the state since July has now reached 80.
With complete curfew imposed in all districts of Kashmir, the valley will see the surveillance of drones and helicopters over Eid celebrations, a first in many years.
These restrictions have been called in response to the slogans of protests raised by separatists for a march to the local offices of the United Nations on Tuesday, coinciding with the global body’s Opening of 71st Session of the UN General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York today.
Even though the army has been asked to remain on a standby, the situation in all probability may turn violent and hence the extra precautions. The troops have been deployed at places which have been classified as ‘sensitive.’ This is probably for the first time that curfew is in place on the day of Eid festival ever since militancy broke out in the state in 1990.
Security forces are on high alert and adequate numbers have been put out in case the separatist elements, use women and children as ‘shields’ during protest rallies nd try and increase in civilian casualties.
This is for the first time in 26 years since the onset of militancy that no Eid congregations will be held at the Idgah and Hazratbal shrines.
The sources said that people will, however, be allowed to offer Eid prayers in local mosques.
The government has already ordered shutdown of Internet services of all telecom networks and also mobile telephony except that of the state-run BSNL for the next 72 hours because of the tense law and order situation in the state.
