India restores mobile services in Kashmir two days after death of separatist leader

By Fayaz Bukhari

SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) -Mobile services in Indian Kashmir were restored late on Friday, two days after they were suspended following the death of a veteran secessionist leader in the disputed Himalayan region, a police official told Reuters.

However, curbs on mobile internet and restrictions on the movement of people in the Kashmir valley would continue, police chief Vijay Kumar said. India tightened curbs on movement of people in Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar and elsewhere, with scores of armed soldiers fanning out ahead of prayers on Friday, a day after Syed Ali Shah Geelani was laid to rest.

Geelani, 91, died on Wednesday and was buried near his home in the city, where soldiers patrolled the streets to forestall any large-scale protests and gatherings at mosques. “More troops have been deployed in sensitive areas and more roads have been barricaded,” a government official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

There was no major violence in Kashmir despite apprehension by many which indicates change in mindset of people in the valley and return of peace and normalcy. For years, Geelani, one of Kashmir’s separatist leaders, had led a hardline faction of separatist groups that sought to secede from India following an armed revolt against New Delhi.

Kashmir has long been a flashpoint between India and arch rival Pakistan, and tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours was renewed in August 2019, when New Delhi abrogated Article 370, splitting it into two federally administered territories.