M A I N   N E W S

Curfew lifted, but Shopian remains shut
Azhar Qadri/TNS

Srinagar, September 22
Authorities on Sunday lifted curfew, which was imposed in south Kashmir’s Shopian district after killing of five persons in CRPF firing on September 7. The residents, however, observed a shutdown demanding removal of a paramilitary camp in the area.

"Curfew was lifted from Shopian town today," a police spokesman said. The spokesman said the situation in the town remained peaceful with no untoward incident reported so far.

A Shopian resident said a shutdown is being observed in the area to press for removal of a paramilitary camp at Gagran where five men, including one suspected militant, were killed earlier this month. It had resulted in widespread clashes, protests and shutdowns.

"A meeting of elders was called yesterday evening and also in the afternoon today. But so far there is no consensus on calling off the shutdown," he said. "We have run out of medicines and baby food. We haven’t even been allowed to mourn the dead," a trader said.

The police suspects that one of the four persons killed on September 7 was a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant whom it identified as Abdullah Haroon, a Pakistani national.

A top police official said a video clip was recovered from Haroon's phone which showed some weapons ---belonging to security forces --- that were snatched by militants during two separate shootings.