Hyderabad: All the Fridays since August 5 have seen complete clampdown though there have been sporadic incidents of stone pelting in different parts of the valley leading to injuries to many.
The situation was more or less similar even on Id (August 12) though a day before, the administration had announced that restrictions would be eased and communication restored. But that was not to be. After the Pakistan and Indian Independence days passed off without trouble, the locals were hopeful that the lockdown will now no longer be in force. But it continues without any relief though in districts in Jammu region, all restrictions have been lifted.
The people of the valley have been complaining of psychological problems due to living in jail-like conditions for the last 25 days and medical services too are hit, but the administration keeps insisting that the situation is now normal though it shows no signs of easing the restrictions. Even the top political leadership of J&K continue to be under detention since August 5.
Post August 20, the authorities allowed shops to open only in and around Srinagar, but most of them have not opened, indicating the anger among the people.
“The J&K administration is making all efforts to open schools but locals appear reluctant to send their wards. Similarly, we want the shops to be opened but most shops remain shut. We want to bring back normalcy as early as possible,’’ an official in the J&K administration said.
‘’We have not been specifically told till when the additional forces will be stationed in Kashmir. We expect the lockdown to continue till November or even December with easing of restrictions in some parts of Srinagar. All assessments and future strategies are being chalked out in New Delhi and we are not privy to them except that we are on the highest possible alert,’’ a senior police official from Jammu and Kashmir said.
Sources in New Delhi said that though political leaders who have been detained will slowly be released from next week onwards, and even the restrictions will ease a bit, the clampdown will continue.
‘’The decision (of scrapping Article 370) was massive and therefore we were asked to prepare ourselves for the next several months to counter any eventuality. Lockdown is essential for maintaining peace in the valley and there is every likelihood of mischief till the UN General Assembly session or October 31. There are nearly 230 terrorists active in the valley, particularly South Kashmir, and they are just waiting for an opportunity,’’ a senior official said, adding that infiltration attempts too are being made.
Asked when normalcy could be restored and lockdown done away with, the official maintained they are “working in that direction’’ though no specific deadline is set for easing all the restrictions. “When the lockdown was enforced on August 5, none of us had a clue how long it would continue. Even today, we cannot say how long it will continue. All I can say is that there are indications that this will continue for quite some time,’’ a CRPF official posted in a sensitive area in the Kashmir valley told this newspaper.
‘’In another five days, it will be one month since lockdown. All we can do is just pray for our brothers and sisters in Kashmir,’’ said a youngster from Kashmir who is studying in New Delhi.
