Day 40 in Kashmir: Schools, colleges remain closed in valley

Normal life remained disrupted in Kashmir for the 40th consecutive day on Friday with schools closed and public transport off the roads. Security forces continued to be deployed to maintain law and order.

Srinagar:Curfew-like restrictions, which were reimposed in several parts of Kashmir in the wake of Muharram, were being lifted on Wednesday, the 38th day of the shutdown. However, the schools in the valley remain closed.

According to reports, the teachers of the institution reported on time however, children stayed away from attending classes.

The efforts of the state government to open schools have not borne any fruit as parents continued to keep children at home due to apprehensions about their safety.

Earlier, most of the primary schools, especially private-run institutes, wore a deserted look as no student turned up to attend the classes even as a few staff members joined duties at some of these institutions.

Due to the current situation in the valley, educational services remain affected and in almost every department in the valley, the situation remains similar. Parents are facing a long queue for admission forms as internet showdown has cut-short online services, which were previously provided to all.

Restrictions on the movement or assembly of people have been lifted from most areas of the valley, but security forces continued to be deployed to maintain law and order.

While landlines across the valley were functional, voice calls on mobile devices were working only in Kupwara and Handwara police districts of north Kashmir.

The officials said some areas in Srinagar witnessed an increased movement of private transport, while few autorickshaws were also seen plying in some areas of the city.

However, normal life remained severely affected across the valley due to shutdown which entered 39th day on Thursday, the officials said.

Most of the top-level and second-rung separatist politicians have been taken into custody while mainstream leaders including three former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have also been either detained or placed under house arrest.

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