KL Report
Srinagar
After local newspapers resumed their on Wednesday, 185 of the 252 ATMs operated on the same day after a four-day freeze, amid indications of the Kashmir Valley returning to normal.
With no major incident of violence anywhere, authorities relaxed curfew for varying durations in all 10 districts, excluding the areas falling under the jurisdiction of five hypersensitive police stations in downtown Srinagar and Baramulla, Islamabad and Kulgam towns.
It was the fifth consecutive day of curfew, and shutdown called by separatists over the execution of Afzal Guru. Some shops are open and even skeleton transport services were operate.
But the prevailing calm would be put to the test when curfew is lifted completely and the separatist leaders are granted freedom of movement. Almost all of them have been detained in their houses or sent to police stations. Among the top brass, Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are under house arrest in New Delhi and Shabir Shah and Nayeem Khan have been shifted to central jail Srinagar.
Authorities are apprehensive of violence on Friday. “If there is no violence on Friday, we will lift day curfew fully”, a senior police official said. People at large looked ‘hurt and outraged’ over Afzal Guru’s execution but there were no indications of a mass uprising or involvement. “It’s completely different from 2008 and 2010. We are still keeping our fingers crossed,” he said.
