Srinagar: Kashmir continues to be on the edge as curfew enters seventh day here even as one person was killed in police firing during a funeral procession in Anantnag on Saturday. Seven people were injured in the firing.
Curfew was imposed last week following violence on Eid. Shops and schools have remained closed ever since. Streets bear a deserted look except for security personnel who are seen patrolling.
Three people had died in police action on Friday while a policeman's house was targeted in Shopian. Otherwise, situation remained calm with no reports of protests or clashes from the Bemina area while shops and schools remained closed.
Meanwhile, there is still no consensus among political parties whether to do away with the disputed Armed Forces Special Powers Act. The Army chief General V K Singh came out in defend of the Act, denying it's being used arbitrarily.
"Armed Forces Special Powers Act is an enabling provision, not arbitrary. Infiltration and attempted infiltration have gone up during the last two months in Jammu and Kashmir, but it is coincidental," said Singh.
As violence continues to mar life in the Valley, the three-month unrest has not only claimed more than 90 lives but also hit badly education with professional colleges being no exception.
On the wake of protests and a hunger strike for last three days inside the premier National Institute of Technology (NIT), students demand they should not suffer due to the unrest. They say so much time is being wasted due to hartals and curfew in the city.
"Education has been crippled here for three-and-a-half months. We want classes should begin from next day onwards. And if that's not possible, outside students and teachers should be accommodated inside the campus so that classes can go on," said a student.
"Our director is not taking our responsibility. He has cancelled our placement week. We want that to be revoked," said another student.
As the curfew drags on indefinitely, families who can afford the added expense, are sending their children outside Kashmir to study and to make up for the lost time. |
