Srinagar: Restrictions continued to be in force across the Kashmir valley for the second day on Friday as a precautionary measure following the death of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, officials said.
Restrictions on the movement and assembly of people remained in force across the valley, they added.
The officials said the curbs were intensified in downtown (old city) and some uptown parts of the city here in view of the Friday congregational prayers.
While the roads leading to Geelani’s residence in the Hyderpora locality here remained sealed, barricades were put up in other areas to stop the movement of people, they added.
Security forces have been deployed in strength in the city and elsewhere to maintain law and order, the officials said.
Mobile phone services except for the postpaid connections of BSNL continued to remain snapped, while mobile internet services also remained barred to avoid rumour-mongering.
Internet services are working on fixed lines, but the network speed has been throttled.
The officials said a review of the situation will be done after the congregational prayers and a decision will be taken on whether to lift the restrictions or not.
Police on Thursday said the situation across the valley was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
A police spokesperson said some vested interests tried to spread baseless rumours about a “forcible burial of SAS Geelani by police”.
“Such baseless reports, which are a part of a false propaganda to incite violence, are totally refuted by the police. As a matter of fact, the police instead facilitated in bringing the body from his (Geelani’s) house to the graveyard as there were apprehensions of miscreants taking an undue advantage of the situation. The relatives of the deceased participated in the burial,” he said.
The police spokesperson said IGP, Kashmir Vijay Kumar appreciated the cooperation of the public in maintaining the peaceful situation throughout Kashmir, “which defeated the ill designs of the inimical elements who are hell-bent on disturbing the otherwise peaceful atmosphere in the valley”.
Geelani (91), avowedly a pro-Pakistan supporter who spearheaded the separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir for over three decades, died at his residence here on Wednesday night.
The separatist leader was suffering from a kidney disease for over two decades, besides other age-related issues, including dementia.
