KASHMIR-LD SITUATION 2 LAST

Giving details of the violence, the police spokesman said Giving details of the violence, the police spokesman said"mobs assembled on the roads and attempted to disturb thenormal traffic and movement of people by pelting stones onvehicles and later on at police & security force deployments." Yesterday, protestors in the neighbouring Kulgam districtburnt a house of the ruling PDP’s block president Gulzar Ahmadwho had facilitated a meeting of Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftiwith the family of a victim of security forces firing in thedistrict. Mehbooba visited the family of Late Mashooq Ahmed, firingvictim of Kund, Kulgam and offered heartfelt condolences tothe bereaved family yesterday. Normal life in the Valley remained paralysed for the 58thday as restrictions continued in the rest of the Valley whichhas been hit by violence triggered by the killing of HizbulMujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8. "Curfew remains in force in five police station areas ofdowntown Srinagar," a police spokesman said. He said curfew in these areas of the summer capitalcontinued as a precautionary measure in view of the call givenby separatists asking people to occupy Airport road, citycentre Lal Chowk and district headquarters against theall-party delgation’s visit. "Curfew has been lifted from Batamaloo and Maisuma areasin the uptown city in view of the improving situation," thepolice spokesman said. He, however, said restrictions on the assembly of peoplewere in place in the rest of the Valley. The separatists have also extended the shutdown tillSeptember 8. Due to the restrictions and separatist-sponsoredshutdown, shops, business establishments and petrol pumpscontinued to remain shut during the day. They are opened onlyin the evening. Public transport continued to be off theroads. The all-party delegation led by Home Minister RajnathSingh reached here today to hold talks with a cross-section ofpeople and explore ways to end the unrest. As many as 71 persons, including two police personnel,have been killed and several thousand others injured in theclashes between protesters and security forces in the Valleysince Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July8. PTI SSB MIJAKK