News / India

Reports of curfew after India says Kashmir curbs eased

Sunday, 18 August 2019 10:40 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 18 August 2019 10:40 AM ]

A motorist shows his ID card in an effort to get past security personnel after being stopped at a roadblock during a lock-down in Srinagar on August 12, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Indian authorities have reimposed restrictions on movement in major parts of Kashmir's biggest city, a day after it was said New Delhi was easing some of the curbs.

The Muslim-majority Himalayan region has been in a crippling lockdown since New Delhi announced it was removing the region's special status on Aug. 5.

People on Sunday were being turned back at multiple roadblocks set up in Srinagar, with security forces at some roadblocks telling residents there is a curfew.

Over the past two weeks, the state government has been saying that it has not imposed a curfew.

Reports said representatives in the Jammu and Kashmir government in Srinagar and the federal government in New Delhi were not answering questions about the latest clampdown.

Police stand guard at a roadblock in Kashmir on August 9, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Senior officials and eyewitnesses were quoted as saying that violent clashes took place between residents and police overnight, in which dozens were injured.

Reuters said at least two dozen people were admitted to hospitals with pellet injuries. One official source said people pelted security forces with stones in around two dozen places across Srinagar.

He said that the intensity of the stone pelting protests has increased over past few days, the news agency reported.

Eyewitnesses said Indian troops fired tear smoke, chilly grenades and pellets to disperse protesters in Rainawari, Nowhetta and Gojwara areas of the old city.

The clashes came after the state government said telephone landlines had been restored in parts of Srinagar after a 12-day blackout.

According to authorities, most telephone exchanges in the region would start working by Sunday evening, but Internet and cell phones still remain blocked in Kashmir.

Since the start of the crisis, more than 500 political or community leaders and activists have been detained and some of them have been flown to prisons outside the state.

PressTV-In Kashmir, there's heavy trade of fire again

According to an Indian official, "The exchange of fire is going on."

Clashes started two weeks ago after the Hindu-majority government of India decided to revoke Article 370 of its constitution which granted special status to Kashmir.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the cancellation of special status was necessary to integrate the disputed area fully into India.

Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since their partition from Britain in 1947. Both countries claim all of Kashmir and have fought three wars over the territory.

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