Shopian Blockade continues for 14th Day
SHOPIAN; 20, Sep 2013: Despite early relaxation of curfew yesterday, the authorities enforced tough curfew for 14th consecutive day in Shopian on Friday. The residents have complained that they were facing shortage of eatables and accused troops of keeping them hostages by locking doors of their houses.
Although elderly people were allowed today to offer Friday prayers in their local mosques but still youth were denied to go to masjids.
The announcements were made by authorities early this morning that curfew continues to remain enforced in the Shopian town. People were asked to remain indoors and not venture out of their homes.
Heavy deployment of police and CRPF was reported from the town. The cops armed with automatic weapons and anti-riot gears continued to man barricades erected at main entry and exit points in Shopian to restrict movement of people and vehicles.
The locals said after medicine and baby food, they are fast running out of eatable stored in the houses.
“Even though people are being taken care of by their neighbours but the situation is really alarming. People are running short of eatables and this can lead to humanitarian crisis,” they said.
The forces, according to residents, have been threatening them of even harsher restrictions in the coming days.
“We are worried about the apple crop that is slowly rotting on the trees in our orchards. We are going to incur huge losses this year,” said Mohammad Younis, a local apple grower.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Shopian Bashir Ahmad Bhat told that there were some reasons that compelled administration to impose curfew today as well.
When asked whether curfew will be lifted tomorrow, Bhat said, “The decision of lifting curfew will only be taken if there is an agreement on improvement of situation in the evening security meet. We will review the overall situation and a decision will be taken accordingly”.
Although elderly people were allowed today to offer Friday prayers in their local mosques but still youth were denied to go to masjids.
The announcements were made by authorities early this morning that curfew continues to remain enforced in the Shopian town. People were asked to remain indoors and not venture out of their homes.
Heavy deployment of police and CRPF was reported from the town. The cops armed with automatic weapons and anti-riot gears continued to man barricades erected at main entry and exit points in Shopian to restrict movement of people and vehicles.
The locals said after medicine and baby food, they are fast running out of eatable stored in the houses.
“Even though people are being taken care of by their neighbours but the situation is really alarming. People are running short of eatables and this can lead to humanitarian crisis,” they said.
The forces, according to residents, have been threatening them of even harsher restrictions in the coming days.
“We are worried about the apple crop that is slowly rotting on the trees in our orchards. We are going to incur huge losses this year,” said Mohammad Younis, a local apple grower.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Shopian Bashir Ahmad Bhat told that there were some reasons that compelled administration to impose curfew today as well.
When asked whether curfew will be lifted tomorrow, Bhat said, “The decision of lifting curfew will only be taken if there is an agreement on improvement of situation in the evening security meet. We will review the overall situation and a decision will be taken accordingly”.
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