Srinagar: Normal life remained crippled for the second successive day Sunday in entire south Kashmir in protest against the killing of three civilians and as many militants during the last 72 hours. Meanwhile army allegedly vandalized property and beat up inmates following a stone-pelting incident in a village in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir.
Officials said restrictions under section 144, which were imposed in some major town and tehsil headquarters in south Kashmir Saturday last, have been lifted though security forces remained deployed in strength to stop any violence.
But, even though there was no strike call by separatists, shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads for the second day Sunday in Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Kulgam district in south Kashmir.
Meanwhile, additional forces, wearing bullet proof jackets and holding weapons and lathis in their hands, were seen patrolling the streets in major town and tehsil headquarters in south Kashmir to prevent any untoward incident.
However, traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway was plying normally though government forces have been deployed in strength to prevent any law and order problem.
South Kashmir has witnessed a fresh spell of violence during the last two days following killing of three youth in forces firing and as many militants in an encounter.
A youth succumbed on Friday due to injuries sustained in forces firing on protestors at Rengreth on Srinagar-old Airport road on Thursday. Meanwhile, two youth, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed and several others were injured when forces burst teargas shells and resorted to firing to disperse protestors, who were trying to disrupt anti-militant operation at Arwani in south Kashmir, where three Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, including top commander Junaid Matto, were killed in the encounter.
Meanwhile army allegedly vandalized property and beat up inmates following a stone-pelting incident in a village in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir.
Reports said that army men were withdrawing from Astan Mohalla area of Wallerhama village after concluding a cordon-and-search operation. The residents on conditions of anonymity said army men thrashed several persons and smashed windowpanes of houses and parked cars following a minor stone-pelting incident in the village.
