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| Srinagar limps back to normalcy | | | Early Times report
Srinagar, Feb 28: After remaining crippled for four consecutive days due to violent protests and undeclared curfew, life in the summer capital of state limped back to normalcy on Saturday.
Violent protests had erupted in Srinagar and many parts of North Kashmir after Army shot dead two youth at Bumai Sopore last weekend. The death of an auto driver Shabir Ahmad Sheikh, whose body was recovered by police on Tuesday morning at Parimpora in city outskirts added fuel to the fire with thousands of people turning on to Srinagar streets to protest his killing.
State administration had imposed undeclared curfew on Wednesday and Friday to thwart Sopore Chalo march and Friday protests, call for which was given by the Hurriyat Factions.
After four days of unrest, all shops, offices, business establishments and educational institutions in city resumed their work with the markets witnessing huge rush. Banks and ATMs witnessed huge rush too with the people standing in long queues for hours to make the transactions. Transport that was off the roads from the last three days also plied on all the routes of the city.
The residents of Srinagar, particularly the old city and uptown Maisuma where heavy troops deployment was seen after clashes broke out on Tuesday, heaved a sigh of relief as undeclared curfew was lifted today morning.
“From last four days, the troops and policemen took us hostage. They did not let us to move out of our houses to purchase essentials nor did they allow the children to play in the grounds,” Feroz Ahmad, a resident of old city’s Gojwara told Press Bureau of India.
“The troops and police had blocked lanes and by lanes with barricades and concertina wires to prevent people from staging protests,” he added.
Zahoor Ahmad Dar, a resident of Khwaja Bazar told PBI that the troops and police enforced strict curfew in the area and thrashed the people who refused to obey their orders. He said the policemen thrashed him on Friday morning when he came out of his house to get bread and milk.
“As I came out of my house to purchase milk and bread, policemen deployed near the Khwaja Sahab Shrine shouted over me and asked me to show my Identity-card,” Dar said.
“Despite proving my identity, they beat me saying I have violated the curfew,” he added.
City’s commercial hub Lal Chowk and adjoining Maisuma, where more than 50 people including policemen and media men were injured in the clashes in the last four days, was bustling with business activities. Large crowds could be seen outside almost all shops in Maisuma, Madina Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Exchange road were people could be seen purchasing goods.
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