It is possible to have an accurate list of civilians killed this year, but it is not so easy a job to calculate the precise number of the curfews or shutdowns
in the year, more so when many of the curfews in downtown Srinagar locality were undeclared. Declared or undeclared, curfews have become a handy law and order tool for the authorities.
It seems that even a cockfight in a street makes authorities think of a curfew now. So we saw this year, every shutdown call, every call for sit in, responded to by a curfew. Even calls for a normal business day were met with curfew at times! And yes we had curfews in Muharram too.
Now, given that the curfews and shutdowns complemented and supplemented each other, the curfews-shutdown cocktail surely made a record this year, making the best of business season disappear in thin year.
Did we have a summer this year? Must be, because we did have a summer unrest that spilled over into autumn.
Apart from the declared general curfews in Srinagar and major towns, which probably outnumber the dead, there were areas like Palhalan and Delina in Baramulla district which got an added share of curfews.
Palhalan village, where eight people were killed this summer, was besieged for months without any relaxation. People were beaten up inside their homes, and in rice fields. Reporters were not given access to village during the curfew, even when situation in the rest of the Valley had eased up.
