Srinagar: Life returned to normal in Kashmir valley on Sunday, after remaining crippled for two days, due to restrictions imposed by authorities and strike against the killing of Ansar Gazwatul Hind chief Zakir Musa in a 12-hour-long encounter with security forces in Pulwama district.
However, even though there was no strike call given by any separatist group, business and other activities remained crippled and traffic was off the roads in south Kashmir for the third successive day.
Meanwhile, restrictions imposed for the past two days as a precautionary measure in many areas in Kashmir valley, including downtown and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) in Srinagar, were lifted after improvement in the situation.
The famous three-km-long weekly market in Srinagar, was also open.
Low speed mobile internet has also been restored in majority areas in the valley, and train services were also resumed after remaining suspended for two days. However, high speed internet remained barred in the valley for security reasons.
A police spokesperson said that there were no restrictions in any part of the valley though forces were deployed in strength to maintain law and order in sensitive areas in south Kashmir.
Shops and business establishments reopened and traffic on all routes was plying normally in summer capital, Srinagar, and other major towns and tehsil headquarters in central and north Kashmir.
All the shops reopened in the main business hubs in civil lines, including historic Lal Chowk, Gonikhan, Residency Road, Maulana Azad Road, Mahraj Bazar, Batamaloo, Iqbal Park, Dalgate, Regal Chowk and Budshah Chowk.
The main gates of Jamia Masjid which remained closed since Friday morning, were opened and devotees offered prayers in the historic mosque. But, shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in near the historic mosque, including Nowhatta as youth clashes with security forces
Hundreds of vendors have put up their stall in the weekly market from Radio Kashmir (RK), Srinagar, crossing to Hari Singh High Streets (HSHS), including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, attracting thousands of buyers from different parts of the valley.
Business and other activities resumed in twin central Kashmir districts of Budgam and Ganderbal.
Reports of normalcy were also received from other parts of the valley, including Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora and Pattan in north Kashmir, where security forces remained deployed in some sensitive areas to prevent any law and order problem.
However, shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads for the third successive day in south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian, due to strike against the killing of the militant commander.
Musa was killed in with forces at Tral in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, triggering spontaneous protests and clashes across the valley, including many areas in Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Awantipora.
The authorities imposed curfew in Srinagar and restrictions in many areas in south Kashmir, fearing further law and order problem. The curfew and restrictions continued on Saturday in view of a strike called by Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the killing of the militant.