Mujtaba Wani
SRINAGAR: The authorities have decided to impose a curfew in all parts of the Srinagar district on Friday.
An official spokesman has said a curfew will come into force from midnight.
The curfew has been in force in most parts of the volatile downtown Srinagar since Wednesday. On Tuesday, a young man was killed after security forces fired live bullets in north Kashmir’s Baramulla on Tuesday.
A government spokesman said “District Magistrate Srinagar, in exercise of the powers vested him under Section 144 Cr. P.C. has imposed restrictions on the movement of public and transport in entire district Srinagar from midnight of 7th March 2013 till further orders.”
Some other parts of the valley, like Baramulla and Sopore towns, have also remained under curfew since Wednesday.
The curfew is likely to remain in force in these towns, and will be also clamped on the central district of Budgam.
Fridays are crucial as large number of people gather in Mosques for congregational afternoon prayers.
The authorities fear violent protests after prayers and a repeat of the summer uprising in 2010 during which at least 111 people, mostly young men, were killed in police or paramilitary firing on a series of protests.
Pertinently, the uprising erupted on June 11, 2010 – a Friday. A teenager had died after he was hit by a tearsmoke shell lobbed by the police during a usual protest.
