Tourist haven Srinagar has once again begun to resemble a garrison town.
There is massive public resentment at what happened to Zahid Farooq (16), Wamiq Farooq (13) and Inayat Khan (16), and this is fuelling more and more protests followed by brutal crackdowns.
The growing cycle of violence is fast wiping out the remaining vestiges of returning normalcy — late night parties,
concerts, lovers walking past the Dal Lake, fashion shows and an all-round lowering of temperatures.
Since 2010 set in, Zahid, Wamiq and Khan were killed (allegedly in cold blood) by trigger-happy security personnel.
After letting the killings of the latter two snowball into major agitations, the government moved fast on Zahid’s case and booked a BSF constable for his murder on February 10.