A general strike and curfew brought Indian-occupied Kashmir to a standstill Thursday ahead of a landmark Supreme Court hearing centred on the region’s autonomy.
Kashmiri leaders have threatened major protests if the Supreme Court annuls a constitutional provision that bars Indians from outside Kashmir from buying land or seeking government jobs in the territory.
Businesses, schools and public transport across Kashmir followed calls to stay closed while government forces rolled out razor wire and spiked steel barriers across deserted roads in the main city Srinagar to block demonstrations.
Srinagar residents said they were prevented from going out on the streets by major deployments of police and paramilitary troops. “It is a curfew. No-one can go out,” one school teacher in the city said.
Friday’s hearing in New Delhi has caused a major spike in tensions, adding to the near daily deaths in battles between government troops and the fighters.
Government forces killed two suspected fighters in a gun battle in the northern district of Hajin during search operations Thursday. On Wednesday, gunmen killed four police officers while Indian troops killed two militants.
Published in Daily Times, August 31st 2018.
