Geelani death: Kashmir lockdown for second day, IGP says under control

A strict curfew was imposed across the Valley on Friday with large contingents of police, paramilitary and Army personnel manning the roads, which were blocked by barricades and concertina wire.

Security personnel patrol during restriction, at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. (PTI)

FOR THE second day in a row, Kashmir valley continued to remain under a strict lockdown, with Internet and cellular services blocked to prevent any protest over the death of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

A strict curfew was imposed across the Valley on Friday with large contingents of police, paramilitary and Army personnel manning the roads, which were blocked by barricades and concertina wire.

Internet continued to remain snapped and all cellular networks, barring BSNL, were shut.

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The police, however, said voice calls and wired Internet would be restored Friday night. “So far, the situation has remained peaceful and under control,” said Vijay Kumar, IGP, Kashmir. “Mobile services [voice calls] and broadband of TSPs [telephone service providers] shall open from this evening at 10 pm.”

The Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, meanwhile, paid tributes to Geelani for the “consistency, steadfastness and courage” exhibited by him for the past three decades.

“[We pay] glowing tributes to Syed Ali Shah Geelani for his immense contribution and sacrifices on political and resistance fronts,” the Hurriyat said in a statement. “The demise of Geelani Sahib has not only created a big void in the political corridors of Jammu and Kashmir but also marked the completion of an era.” It praised the support extended by Geelani to the Mirwaiz as the founding chairman of the united Hurriyat.

The 92-year-old Geelani died Wednesday at his Srinagar home.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More

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