Curfew in Kashmir continues following Modi’s appeal to shun violence

A curfew was still in place but people continued to defy the curfew and demonstrated on the streets often leading to deadly clashes with Indian forces, which so far has claimed 70 precious lives.

Indian forces arrested more than a thousand protesters in Indian-held Kashmir on Monday in a bid to stop anti-India demonstrations.

The conflict-hit valley of Kashmir has been under a security lockdown and curfew since the killing of Burhan Wani, a popular commander, on July 8 sparked some of the largest protests against Indian rule in recent years.

On the same day, tens of thousands of troops patrolled streets ringed with barbed wire and enforced a curfew in most parts of Kashmir. Shops and schools were closed because of the security crackdown and a protest strike.

However, protests demanding the end of Indian rule over the region continued in several places, with reports of clashes between protesters and government forces in various locations.

The region has remained locked down since, as prominent Kashmiri leaders opposed to Indian rule called for strikes and protests and Indian authorities responded by suspending most mobile networks and internet and clamped rolling curfews in large parts of the territory including Srinagar.

Modi appeals Kashmiris to shun violence

In his first public comments on the Kashmir’s situation after a month of violence, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed to the people of Indian-held Kashmir to shun violence.

Following a growing pressure by party’s ally – the in coalition People’s Democratic Party that governs the Himalayan region – to break his silence on the Kashmir unrest, Modi reached out to Kashmiris during a speech in New Delhi and appealed them to maintain peace.

Indian opposition parties had been criticising Modi for remaining quiet on the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and urged Indian premier to hold a meeting with all political parties and discuss ways to reach out to the people of Kashmir.