Areesh
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Meanwhile in "atoot ang".
Modi in Kashmir: People forced to remain indoors a day before PM's visit
Empty streets filled with police vehicles, concertina wires to block entries to volatile areas and heavy security checks left little choice for people in Srinagar but to remain indoors, a day before PM Narendra Modi's visit to Kashmir valley.
Heavy security has been put in place ahead of PM’s visit to valley, and security personnel have swung into action to thwart separatists' movement turning Srinagar into fortress. On Friday, curfew-like restrictions were imposed in several parts of Old City including Maisooma, Nowhatta, Safa Kadal, Rahmawati, Khanyar, Maharajganj and Kral Khud in view of 'Jamia Masjid Chalo' call given Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Chief cleric and Chairman of Hurriyat (M).
“Every vehicle entering Srinagar has to undergo several level of security checks at various places. I was stopped so many times that I thought of stopping my car at every glance of a policeman,” Naveed Ashraf, a local comments over the security beef-up.
'Million March' venue sealed with barbed wire
Public movement has also been restricted around the venue for “Million March” called by Hurriyat conference G chairman Syed Ali Geelani to counter PM Modi’s rally. TRC Ground, just metres away from Sher-E-Kashmir stadium remains sealed with barbed wire and a very thick deployment of police been made at all its corners.
“It seems we will have to remain caged for a while. Movement around the SK stadium has been restricted for people, and even internet is being monitored,” Showkat Hamid, a local, complains while referring to PM's rally at SK stadium scheduled for Saturday.
Enforced holiday for Kashmir?
All Kashmir university examinations scheduled to be held on November 6 and November 7 have been postponed and fresh dates for the same are to be notified separately. However, Director School Education Dr Shah Faisal said that 'those who cannot sit in the exams of class 8th held on Friday due to restriction will have to sit in the exams later’.
“What logic is this? Why should exams be cancelled over PM’s visit. Students have already been through tough time in coming to terms from the time they lost post September floods,” Ahmad Rashid, a student of Kashmir University told iamin.
Meanwhile, Chief Controller Railways has informed that train services in Kashmir valley remain suspended on Friday and Saturday.
“Rather than making people feel safe and secure, we have been put under surveillance due to Modi's visit. It's like enforced holiday, and it is better to remain indoors for these two days,” quips an elderly woman in Maisuma area referring to Lal Chowk that remained shut on Friday.
Further, it is being anticipated that internet services will be blocked on Saturday as orders of monitoring the social media were passed by police.
Modi in Kashmir: People forced to remain indoors a day before PM's visit