Day after Mannan’s killing, Kashmir tense

Amid shutdown and restrictions, tense situation prevailed in Kashmir on Friday, a day after AMU scholar-turned-Hizbul commander Mannan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in northern Kupwara district.

While separatists have called for a Valley-wide strike on Friday, authorities imposed restrictions in volatile areas of Srinagar — Lolab area and Kupwara town — to prevent any protests against the killing of Mannan who hailed from Tikipora village of Kupwara.

Authorities also suspended classwork in all the schools and colleges in Srinagar, Kupwara, Budgam, Pulwama, Ganderbal, Baramulla and Bandipora on Friday “as a precautionary measure” while Kashmir University ordered suspension of class work at all its campuses.

All shops and other business establishments remained closed, while public transport was off the roads in Srinagar. Similar reports were received from other districts of the Valley as well.

The authorities also suspended mobile internet services in Kupwara while the speed was restricted to 2G in other areas. The intra-Kashmir train services also remained suspended due to apprehension of violence.

Mannan was enrolled as a researcher with the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) before joining Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit in January this year. He was killed in an encounter with his associate in Shatgund village of Kupwara district on Thursday.

Mannan, who hailed from a well-off family of Tekipora in Lolab, Kupwara, was being projected as the new poster boy of the militancy in Kashmir by Hizbul Mujahideen after Burhan Wani, who was killed in an encounter with the security forces in July 2016.

DH News Service