SRINAGAR - Curfew-like restrictions continued for second consecutive day on Monday in most parts of the Indian Held Kashmir to foil plans to hold protests to observe the death anniversaries of parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.
All the major towns in the valley were put under security restrictions with heavy deployment of CRPF and police personnel aimed at thwarting any protests.
Section 144 CrPC, which bans assembly of four or more persons, had been imposed in several districts, including Srinagar, as a precautionary measure.
In view of the situation remaining by and large peaceful Sunday, the authorities Monday relaxed the restrictions on the movement of the people. The siege around Lal Chowk was also lifted Monday morning.
However, the barricades and concertina wires blocking the exit points of lanes and by lanes in the city remained in place.
Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who returned to the Valley on Saturday from Delhi, was put under house arrest soon after his arrival here.
Mobile internet services, which were suspended Sunday morning, were restored later in the evening.
Protest strike was observed for the second consecutive day on Monday as part of a three-day strike to mark the martyrdom anniversaries of martyred liberation leaders, Muhammad Maqbool Bhat and Muhammad Afzal Guru.
According to KMS, call for the shutdown had been given by pro-freedom leaders and organizations and is aimed at pressing the demand for transfer of mortal remains of the martyred leaders from New Delhi's Tihar Jail to the occupied territory for a decent burial.
Muhammad Afzal Guru was hanged in Tihar Jail on 9th February, last year, while Muhammad Maqbool Bhat was sent to gallows on the 11th February in 1984. Both the leaders remain buried in the premises of the jail.
The occupation authorities have imposed undeclared curfew across the occupied territory and deployed heavy contingent of Indian troops and police personnel to prevent people from holding anti-India demonstrations.
Indian police during massive crackdown in last few days have arrested hundreds of people including pro-liberation leaders, Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Zafar Akbar Bhat, Hilal Ahmed War, Bashir Ahmed Butt, Showkat Ahmed Bakhshi, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Hakeem Abdur Rasheed, Firdous Ahmed Shah, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, Muhammad Shafi Reshi and Sheikh Khalid.
Meanwhile, dozens injured and over 500 Hurriyet leaders and activists have been arrested during police actions since Friday to thwart any protests in the territory in Indian occupied Kashmir.
Indian police used brute force on demonstrators in Srinagar, Bandipore, Baramulla and Shopian districts on 9th February, the first day of a three-day strike, Kashmir Media Service reported.