Srinagar: Curfew-like restrictions on the movement and assembly of people were imposed in Kashmir on Sunday as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to observe ‘Janata Curfew’, even as the virtual lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in the valley entered its fourth day.
Only government and essential services employees with valid identity cards and emergency cases were allowed to move
“Strict curfew-like restrictions on the movement and assembly of people were imposed across all districts of the Kashmir valley on Sunday morning,” officials said.
They said the deployment of security forces was strengthened and more barricades, including concertina wire, were put up at several places across the valley, including in the city here, to enforce the restrictions.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar had said on Saturday that extra security forces will be deployed across the valley to ensure that strict restrictions are imposed.
Markets across the valley were shut and public transport was off the roads, they said.
Train services also remained suspended, they added.
Educational institutions across Kashmir have already been closed, while all public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants have been shut down.
Restrictions were first imposed in many parts of the valley on Thursday to contain the spread of the virus.
The measures were taken after a 67-year-old woman from Khanyar area of the city, who had returned on 16 March from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, tested positive for COVID-19 infection.
So far, the valley has registered only a single positive case of the infection.
Meanwhile, on the appeal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a ‘Janata curfew’, people across Jammu region on Sunday stayed back at their homes to check the spread of coronavirus that has so far infected four persons in the Union territory.
Jammu and other parts of the region, which are under virtual lockdown for the past couple of days, witnessed unprecedented response to the ‘Janata curfew’ with residents preferring not to venture outside their homes to lend their support to the government’s efforts to fight the pandemic.
Police has blocked many roads by barbed wires and deployed its personnel in the main towns and vital thoroughfares across Jammu region as the administration led by Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu made repeated appeals to the people to ensure the success of the ‘Janata curfew’.
Except those involved in delivery of essential services, nobody came out of their homes even in remote and far-off places understanding the threat due to coronavirus, an official said quoting reports from various district headquarters.
Meanwhile, five persons were arrested for spreading rumours on social media about detection of more cases of COVID-19 in Jammu.
A case was registered under relevant provisions of law against the arrested persons — Raman Gupta and Vikas Sharma of Gandhi Nagar, Vikas Arora of Shastri Nagar, Amit Sharma of Roop Nagar and Rajinder Sharma of Trikuta Nagar, a police official said.
He said all the five accused were arrested on Saturday after police zeroed in on them during investigation of false information on coronavirus cases that created panic among the residents.
Police appealed to people not to share any unverified information and said strict action would be taken against anyone found involved in spreading rumours on social media.
So far, three positive COVID-19 cases have been reported from Jammu region and one case from Kashmir valley.
