Kashmir curfew extended to more areas after weekend violence

Srinagar : Indefinite curfew was clamped in more areas of the Kashmir Valley on Monday following sporadic violence in several parts over the weekend and a protest march called by the separatists in the state.

Police using public address system announced that curfew has been imposed on parts of Budgam district stretching from Hyderpora to district headquarters town and three towns of Pulwama district .

Restrictions have been imposed in Awantipora, Lethpora and Pampore towns of Pulwama, which fall on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
Stone pelting incidents took place in these places on Sunday too, blocking traffic on the highway.

Defying curfew, a mob attacked the ancestral house of Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed in Anantnag on Sunday but the minister escaped unhurt.

One person was injured in the attack when security forces had to fire in the air and lob teargas shells to disperse the violent crowd.

The protesters also torched a government school in Handwara and threw a petrol bomb at a CRPF bunker in Baramullah.

Curfew remained in force in Srinagar city, Anantnag and Bijbehara towns in south Kashmir and Sopore town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district for the second day.

The fresh prohibitory orders comes in the state when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi is expected to decide/consider lifting of the Armed forces Special Powers Act from four districts of J&K in an attempt to stem the escalating violence.

Singh will chair a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting later on Monday.
J & K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is camping in the national capital to pursue the Centre on the issue.