Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 24: Strict restrictions remained imposed for the sixth successive day on Tuesday to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the summer capital, Srinagar, and other parts of Kashmir valley, where about 50 people were arrested and several shops were sealed for violating lockdown order during the last 24 hours.
Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in Srinagar and other parts of the valley after a woman from downtown Srinagar, who had returned on March 16 from Saudi Arabia, became the first person in the valley to be tested positive for Coronavirus on March 19. So far, Kashmir has registered only one case while three cases were recorded in Jammu.
Shops and business establishments remained closed while streets were deserted as locals and traffic were off the roads in the valley, where despite wet weather, police vehicles fitted with public address system were directing people since early this morning to remain indoors in view of imposition of restrictions under 144 CrPC, barring assembly of more than three people.
Meanwhile, acting tough against violators of government order, many shops, hotels and educational institutes were sealed while about 50 persons were arrested by the police from Srinagar, Sopore, Handwara and Anantnag in the valley during the last 24 hours.
Sources said 10 persons were arrested in Sopore, 35 in Handwara, three in Srinagar and one in Anantnag for defying prohibitory orders. ''23 vehicles were also seized from different areas of Handwara in north Kashmir district of Kupwara,'' they added.
All educations institutes, including schools, colleges and universities, remained closed in the valley, where train services and public transport were suspended till March 31.
The J&K administration on Sunday announced a complete lockdown till March 31 across the Union Territory as part of its efforts to prevent spread of Coronavirus. However, people associated with 16 essential services, including healthcare, groceries, fruit, milk, petrol, banks and media have been exempted from lockdown.
The streets in uptown and civil lines were deserted as shops and business establishment were closed and traffic was off the roads though few private vehicles were plying. Security forces were deployed in these areas, where people alleged they security personnel were not allowing them to move out of their houses
Similar situation was witnessed in downtown, where people also alleged that they were not allowed to move out of their houses even to buy groceries and vegetables.
Security forces have closed the main roads in downtown and SeK with barbed wires at Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Kawdara and Khanyar. Similar road blocks remained erected by security forces at Nowhatta, Rangar stop and Gojwara. ''For the second successive day, security forces were making announcement through loudspeakers, directing people to remain indoors in view of curfew imposed in the district. When I again tried to move out of his house this morning to buy vegetables I was directed to go inside,'' Muzafar Ahmad, a resident of Nawakadal, told UNI.
The authorities have so far accommodated about 1200 people, who returned from Bangladesh, Ladakh, Bangkok, Dubai, Combodia, UK etc at 24 facilities -- in different categories of risk. |
