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Shopian remains under siege, curfew enters 3rd week

SHABIR AHMAD. Dated: 9/21/2013 11:30:16 PM

Curfew jolts fruit industry, fruit rotting in orchards for want of harvest

SRINAGAR, Sep 21:Curfew remained in force in Shopian township of south Kashmir for the15th consecutive day today to prevent any protests against the killing of five youth by CRPF men two weeks back.
Restrictions were, however, like past two days were eased two hours early in the evening. Curfew was clamped in the town following the violent protests against the killing of four persons in CRPF firing on September 7 in Gagran area of the township. Though the curfew was lifted in the town on September 11 but was re-imposed the same day after the CRPF men of the same camp shot dead another person triggering fresh protests and clashes.
Reports said that the announcements about the curfew being in place were made through Public Address Systems early morning today. Locals said that police and para-military CRPF men wearing riot gear and armed with automatic weapons manned the streets of the township throughout the day and nobody was allowed to venture out.
Police locals said had barricaded the entry and exit points leading to the town to scuttle any attempts of protests. The deployment, residents said, however, was withdrawn at around 4.30 in the evening. “For last three days the deployment is being withdrawn hours early in the evening without any announcement,” locals told Kashmir Times over phone.
The locals complained that due to the continuous curfew in the town for last two weeks they are not able to harvest their fruit and crops. “We have been confined to our homes at a time when our fruit is at its ripening stage. We can neither harvest our fruit nor crops. Our fruit in orchards has rotten for want of harvest. The fruit industry is the back bone of the town but the continuous curfew for over two weeks is telling badly upon our fruit,” said a fruit grower, Mohammad Aslam.
Another orchardist, Bashir Ahmad said that huge damage has been caused to the fruit for want of harvest. “In both our orchards and at fruit mundi apples worth crores of rupees have already been damaged as they could not be plucked and packed in time,” he said. Deputy Commissioner, Shopian, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, said that they are assessing the situation and in the evening will accordingly decide about the lifting or continuing with the curfew tomorrow.