Section-144 imposed across Srinagar, no public movement allowed, local cable TV suspended

Authorities of the Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday night imposed the Section-144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which prohibits gathering of more than four people at a time. An advisory by the Jammu and Kashmir government said "there shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed". It added that there will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. 

According to initial reports, local cable TV services will remain suspended till the further orders.

 As per the order, there shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed. There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. Identity cards of essential services officials will be treated as movement passes wherever required.

The Jammu DC has also advised educational institutions to remain closed.

"The government has imposed restrictions under section 144 CrPC in District Srinagar with effect from 1200 Hrs on 5th August 2019 which shall remain in force till further orders. As per the order, there shall be no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed. There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. Identity cards of essential services officials will be treated as movement passes wherever required. However, there is no curfew in place as reported in a section of media," the advisory said.

The Jammu district administration asked authorities of schools and colleges to remain closed on Monday as a precautionary measure, officials said.

"All schools, colleges and academic institutions, both private and government, are advised to remain closed as a measure of caution," Deputy Commissioner of Jammu Sushma Chauhan said on Sunday night.

This step has been taken in view of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following multi-fold increase in the security deployment due to threat perception, officials said.

Earlier, security across Jammu region was strengthened with additional deployment of paramilitary forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF), in various districts especially in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, they said. 

Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti among several leaders under house arrest

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and chairman of Peoples Conference Sajad Gani Lone along with several other mainstream political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were placed under house arrest on late Sunday night.

Just before being put under house arrest, the former BJP ally and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that voices of people of Kashmir were being muzzled and the state is facing oppression of unimaginable magnitude.

"How ironic that elected representatives like us who fought for peace are under house arrest. The world watches as people & their voices are being muzzled in J&K. The same Kashmir that chose a secular democratic India is facing oppression of unimaginable magnitude. Wake up India," Mufti said.

Abdullah also took to Twitter to announce that he was being put under house arrest. "I believe I'm being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight and the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is then I'll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store. Allah save us," Abdullah tweeted.

The heaven on earth – Kashmir – has turned into a total mess with people living in fears and uncertainty following Centre’s sudden decision to move around 38,000 additional troops to the Valley. Following an unprecedented advisory asking tourists and Hindu pilgrims to “immediately” leave the Valley, rumours have triggering panic buying of essentials among locals.

Thousands of tourists from other parts of the country and world have left the Valley in the last three days. There are speculations that the Government of India was planning to abrogate the special status of Kashmir.

It all started with the two-day Kashmir visit of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval last month. As soon as Dhoval returned to Delhi, the Centre decided to move 10,000 troops of the paramilitary forces to Jammu and Kashmir. It was said that the decision to send additional troops was taken to strengthen anti-terrorist operations in the Valley.