Curfew was imposed today in parts of the city to prevent protests and violence in the wake of yesterday's heckling of separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Chandigarh and to thwart a rally called by hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani after Friday prayers.
"Curfew has been imposed in Rainawari, Nowhatta, Khanyar, Safakadal and Maharajgunj police station areas of the old city," a police spokesperson said.
In rest of the city, Section 144 CrPC, which prohibits assembly of four or more persons at any public place, has been invoked, he said.
However, security forces were directed to treat identity cards of government employees and students as curfew passes to enable them to reach their work places and schools respectively, officials said.
The restrictions were imposed as a pre-emptive measure to foil a rally planned by Geelani at Eidgah in Safakadal area, where hundreds of youth killed in the past 20 years of turmoil are buried, they said.
Geelani had last week announced construction of a memorial wall for the over 100 persons killed during the recent unrest in the valley and had asked people to bring along a brick each for the purpose.
The curfew was also imposed in view of the yesterday's violent protest in parts of the old city including Nowhatta, Bohri Kadal, Rajouri Kadal and Kawdara against the heckling of Mirwaiz at a seminar in Chandigarh.
The authorities clamped down on violent protests after Friday prayers today in old city areas, which are considered to be the stronghold of the moderate Hurriyat chairman, the officials said.
The restrictions on the movement of the people prevented them from offering congregational prayers at Jamia masjid and other mosques and shrines in the old city.
Meanwhile, the curfew affected normal life in the city with skeletal transport services plying on the roads in the areas not under restrictions, they said.
Many private schools remained closed, while some asked the parents to drop their wards at school in order to avoid getting caught in any law and order problem, the officials said.