No major clash was reported on Thursday from anywhere in Kashmir where uneasy calm prevailed with normal life remaining disrupted for the sixth consecutive day.
Meanwhile, one more injured youth succumbed to injuries at a hospital, raising the death toll to 36 the death toll in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last Friday. The dead include a policeman.
“No major clash was reported from anywhere so far though minor stone pelting incidents were reported from different areas,” a police official said.
The situation, however, continued to be tense, he said.
Police, which is exploring new ways to deal with violent protests, is planning to use drones equipped with hi-tech cameras for surveillance purposes.
In this connection, such a remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle was briefly flown in the deserted Lal Chowk, nerve centre of capital Srinagar.
An 18-year-old boy Irfan Ahmad Dar, who was allegedly beaten up by security forces outside his house at Tuli Noorpora village of Kulgam district on July 9 and was undergoing treatment for haemorrhage at SKIMS hospital, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning, officials said.
While the four south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama accounted for 34 deaths, one death each took place in Srinagar and Kupwara districts.
The officials said local residents fished out the body of a youth from river Jhelum at Jeobara village of Awantipora in Pulwama district on Wednesday.
Identified as Zahoor Ahmad Mantoo of Kakapora village, he was reportedly missing after leaving his home to attend the funeral procession of Burhan.
“It seems it is a case of drowning and unrelated to the unrest... Medical and legal formalities have been conducted and there were no marks of violence or fire arm injury on the body,” Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Muneer-ul-Islam said.
Authorities have decided to impose a strict curfew in Pulwama district including Tral, the native place of Burhan, on Friday as they apprehend trouble after prayers.
Entire Pulwama district will be placed under strict curfew on Friday as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, the DC said, adding “It is requested people should not venture out of their homes tomorrow.”
Officials said one Aqib Ahmad Bhat of Shaliteng suffered pellet injuries on his lower thigh during a law and order problem in Parimpora area of the city on Wednesday evening and was admitted to the SKIMS hospital.
Normal life remained paralysed in the valley for the sixth consecutive day due to curfew-like restrictions and separatist-sponsored strike.
Restrictions on the movement of the people in parts of Srinagar, some areas in north Kashmir and four districts of south Kashmir, which were imposed on Saturday morning, continued to remain in force.
The strike called by the separatist groups also affected normal life in the valley. The separatist groups had on Wednesday extended the strike call till Friday after a spate of fresh killings.
Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut, while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance, the officials said.
Public transport was completely off the roads for the sixth consecutive day, while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
The strike and restrictions have led to mass cancellation of wedding functions in the Valley.
Every day, the Valley-based newspapers are filled up with classified advertisements announcing cancellation of wedding functions.
Image: A policemen stands guard on a deserted street during a curfew in Srinagar. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters
