J&K govt asks employees to resume duties

Despite the curfew, information blockade and volatile situation continuing for the fourth consecutive day, Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday asked all government employees to resume their duties with immediate effect.

An official spokesperson said that as per the directions issued by the Chief Secretary, all the government employees, who are working at divisional level, district level and those serving in civil secretariat Srinagar, have been asked to report back to their duties with immediate effect.

A senior police officer official told DH that the measure has been taken as the government wants to reach out to the people on the occasion of Bakri Eid on August 12. “If the situation remains peaceful on Friday, there is possibility of some relaxation in curfew on Saturday,” he said.

The official also denied the reports of the death of five protesters across Kashmir, terming them as rumours spread by vested interests. “No killing has been reported from any part of Kashmir so far,” the officer said.

However, reports said that one youth has been killed so far, while few others with pellet injuries have been admitted to hospitals. Like all means of communications have been barred in Kashmir, it is difficult to confirm the veracity of any reports.

Sources said hundreds of political activists have been arrested in the last four days and some of them have even been shifted to state jails outside. Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been sent to Srinagar Central Jail.

“Most of the former legislators of National Conference and PDP have been kept under house arrest, while some businessmen, academicians and lawyers have bee taken into preventive custody,” they said.