Tight security in Kashmir on Burhan Wani's second anniversary

Tight security measures were put in place by the Jammu and Kashmir government across restive Kashmir on the second death anniversary of Hizb commander Burhan Wani on Sunday.

A security personnel on guard in Srinagar on Thursday, two days ahead of slain terrorist Burhan Wani’s death anniversary | PTI

SRINAGAR: Tight security measures were put in place by the Jammu and Kashmir government across restive Kashmir on the second death anniversary of Hizb commander Burhan Wani on Sunday.

The authorities enforced a curfew in Burhan’s hometown in Tral, imposed security restrictions in sensitive areas in Kashmir, suspended the Amarnath yatra from Jammu and blocked mobile Internet services for the second consecutive day.

The police, and paramilitary and army personnel sealed all roads leading to Tral early in the morning. The security men announced the imposition of the curfew through a public address system, and placed barricades on roads to restrict the movement of people.

Burhan was killed along with two of his associates in an encounter with security forces in Bamdoora area of Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

His killing triggered more than five months of unrest in the Valley, during which about 90 people were killed and thousands others injured in firing by security forces. The Valley witnessed its longest spell of curfew--53 days--and also the longest continuous shutdown during the unrest.

The authorities on Sunday also imposed security restrictions in sensitive areas of south Kashmir and downtown Srinagar. The cops placed concertina wire and armoured vehicles on the roads to restrict the movement of people and foil protests.

In areas where no curfew or restrictions were imposed, a shutdown called by separatists on Burhan’s second death anniversary paralysed normal life. All shops, business establishments and petrol pumps remained closed while public and private transport was off the roads.

In view of the strike called by separatists, authorities suspended the Amarnath yatra from Jammu on Sunday. An official of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board said no yatra movement was allowed from Jammu today as a precautionary measure. He, however, said the yatra continued from the two base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam in Kashmir.

The train service in the Valley was also suspended as a precautionary measure.