SRINAGAR: A 70-year-old man, Abdul Salam Wani, who sustained critical injuries after being attacked by the residents of Danter village of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday night, mistaking him to be a braid chopper, died on Friday.
The authorities suspended mobile services in Valley and imposed curfew-like restrictions in downtown Srinagar. However, the internet services were restored in the evening.
The police and paramilitary personnel also placed barricades and concertina wires on the roads in the curfew-hit areas to restrict movement of people. Meanwhile, fresh incidents of braid chopping were reported from Pantha Chowk area in Srinagar; Parray Mohalla, Sangri and Singhpora Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district; Kanihama area in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and Donow, Kulgam in South Kashmir.
Over 240 incidents of braid cutting have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir in over a month. A police official said restrictions were imposed to thwart protests called by separatists against braid chopping incidents in the Valley. Fearing protests, authorities did not allow people to offer Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar.
The authorities also detained JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and placed moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest. Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani is already under house arrest. Police has formed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the braid chopping incidents.