Kashmir violence: Unrest hits Army movement

To avoid protesters, the Army has rescheduled movement of all of its major convoys — moving within the Valley and also those coming and going out of the Valley. Officials said the Army convoys now move during night hours to avoid any confrontation with the protesters.

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Defence spokesman 15 Corps Lt Col N N Joshi told The Indian Express that there is no convoy movement during days and added that the movement of army convoys is currently going “on and off’’.

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However, a senior Army officer, said the convoys move during late night when there are no protesters on the highways. “To avoid any sort of confrontation, the Army moves its convoys late night or early hours. This has remained a successful experiment. Once the situation improves, we (will) follow our routine schedule.’’

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Officials said that apart from internal movement of convoys within different formations in Kashmir, around 15 to 17 convoys move on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway under proper protection of Road Opening Parties (ROPs). “Once the national highway is secure or things are normal, only then are convoys allowed to move during night,’’ said an official associated with convoy movement.

Since Saturday, sources said, the Army has also curtailed some of its convoy movement as there were massive protests on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, especially in south Kashmir. Protesters had blocked the national highway at 45 places at least from Baramulla to Qazigund. The protesters, especially young boys, had placed concrete, barbed wires, steel tubular poles, stones, logs of wood and big trees to block the roads and highways.