J&K: Wani death anniversary, lockdown in the Valley

Srinagar: A day before the first death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani, additional security forces were deployed in the Kashmir Valley and parts of the Jammu region to quell possible protests. Internet services were also curbed. 

Troopers from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with Jammu and Kashmir police and columns of the Army and the Border Security Force (BSF) were asked to enforce the security lockdown from Friday morning, sources said.

Restrictions on the movement of separatist leaders are also likely as an alliance of key separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik gave a call to mark Wani’s death anniversary.

The Hizb chief Muhammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin had, a day before being declared a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’ by the US, in a statement issued in Muzaffarabad called for shutdowns in the Valley on July 8 and July 13.

July 13 is observed as ‘martyrs’ day’ in both parts of divided Jammu and Kashmir as on this day 66 years ago as many as 22 Kashmiris were shot dead by the troops of autocratic Dogra Maharaja outside Srinagar’s central prison where an in-camera trial of a rebel Abdul Qadeer was held.

Earlier, an attempt to organise a “Burhan Wani Day” rally in Birmingham City in the UK was also foiled after the Indian government forced the withdrawal of permission for the event.

Wani, a 22-year-old Internet-savvy poster boy of the Hizb, was killed by the security forces in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016, sparking disturbances in Kashmir and parts of Jammu’s Chenab valley leaving more than 80 people dead. Two policemen were also killed and thousands of security personnel injured during the five-month-long unrest.

In view of a possible flare up, the authorities in the Valley announced a 10-day-long “summer break” in educational institutions from July 6 although the summer is still away and the temperatures have not soared as yet.

Jawan goes missing from Army camp in Kashmir
Srinagar: An Army jawan has gone missing along with his service rifle from a camp in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, officials said on Thursday. Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, a resident of Pulwama district in South Kashmir, was reported absconding since last night by the Army unit located in Gantmulla area of Baramulla, the officials said. They said Thoker's service rifle and three magazines were also missing. An alert has been sounded and security forces have been directed to remain vigilant as the jawan could have joined militant ranks, the officials said.