For third consecutive day on Wednesday, Kashmir valley witnessed unrest and severe curfew-like restrictions in several areas in the wake of devastating fire, engulfing the 245-year-old shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani on Monday morning.
Security forces announced restrictions through public address system in six volatile old city areas of Srinagar in the morning, asking people to stay indoors.
Khanyar area, where the shrine is situated, witnessed barricades by security forces, disallowing any movement of people or vehicles.
"The government is not allowing people to even mourn the devastation. It’s Marshall Law in Srinagar and people in old city are not allowed to move out," said hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani in a statement issued from his residence in Srinagar.
He and other separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, continue to be under house arrest.
Life failed to return to normal in Srinagar as several shops, offices and schools remained closed. Traffic, however, plied normally in uptown Srinagar.
There were reports of shutdown and stone throwing in south Kashmir’s Anantnag town and north Kashmir’s Baramulla town.
{{/usCountry}}There were reports of shutdown and stone throwing in south Kashmir’s Anantnag town and north Kashmir’s Baramulla town.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Mufti Bashir-ud-din, an official priest, has extended the shutdown call by two more days. He has also asked people to march towards the shrine on coming Friday.
"The government has destroyed the evidence by clearing the debris," alleged the priest.
Separatists and Sufi groups have rejected the government probe saying people from the civil society should be included for an impartial investigation.