Srinagar, July 7: A day after four civilians were killed in police and CRPF firing on protesters here, an eerie calm prevailed as government clamped strictest curfew across the summer capital even as army staged a flag march in the civil line areas of the city.
Curfew was also imposed in Islamabad, Pampore, Pulwama, Kulgam, Qoimoh, Kupwara, and Bandipore. Police and paramilitary CRPF in riot gear were deployed in strength across the old city and uptown areas of the city. They didn’t allow any civilian movement forcing people to stay indoors.
Forces had blocked the roads overnight by erecting steel barricades, laying spools of razor wire, and stationing armoured vehicles at several important crossings.
The restrictions were so severe that essential services, mainly health services, were badly hit. Doctors and para-medical staff couldn’t reach to the hospitals. Government cancelled the curfew passes it had issued last week.
In uptown areas, 17 columns of Army conducted flag marches during the day. Army convoys passed through many areas including Hyderpora, Humhama onAirport road, Lal Chowk, Batamaloo, Bemina, and Qamarwari.
During the day, protests broke out at Gangbugh, and Tengpora
localities of Batamaloo where three persons, including a 24-year
girl, were killed in police and CRPF firing on Tuesday. Locals,
defying curfew, poured onto streets and staged anti-police and
anti-CRPF protests.
They tried to march towards city centre Lal Chowk. However, police intervened and held them back saying army was conducting a flag march in the area and they can open fire.
Evening protests
In the evening, protests erupted in several areas of the city including Bemina, Batamaloo, Fateh Kadal, and Rajouri Kadal. Police lobbed teargas shells and fired several rounds of fire in air to disperse protesters at Bemina.
People of many downtown areas said that forces didn’t allow them to offer prayers in Masjids, especially those situated along the main roads.
CRPF personnel beat up two persons severely at Nai Sarak, Habba Kadal after they came out of their homes. The duo was shifted to hospital in a critical condition.  
Altaf Baba adds from Varmul
Situation remained peaceful in north Kashmir’s  Varmul town on Wednesday. However, following the Hurriyat Conference (G)’s call for staging protests on the roads, people from old town marched towards the main chowk Varmul and staged a peaceful demonstration.
Protests erupted in Sheeri and Palahan, Pattan areas of the district.
People staged demonstrations against the spate of killings in the Valley. At Palhalan, police lobbed teargas shells and firing warning shots in air to disperse the protesters.
Curfew also remained imposed in neighbouring Sopur town with reports of mild protests.
Khalid Gul adds from Islamabad
Curfew remained imposed in the Islamabad town for the ninth running day
on Wednesday.
Protesters erupted at Nayan, Sangam in Islamabad where five persons were injured.
Witnesses said people came out on roads and protested the civilian
killings at the hands of police and CRPF. Police tried to disperse the protesters by baton charging them. However, they offered stiff
resistance and hurled stones on them. They later fired tear smoke
canisters and live ammunition to disperse the protesters.
Five persons, one of them seriously, were injured in the police action.
Curfew remained imposed in neighbouring Kulgam and Qoimoh towns in Kulgam district.
Shahid Rafiq adds from Kupwara
Amidst curfew, protests erupted in Trehgam, Wadipora, and Magam areas in frontier district of Kupwara. People, including young men and women, took to streets and staged massive pro-freedom demonstrations.
The protesters were demanding action against the troopers involved in the killings.
Sheikh Nazir adds from Ganderbal
In Ganderbal and Lar tehsils, Police resorted to lathicharge and fired tear smoke shells in air to disperse protesters at Saloora and Kurhama triggering stone pelting. Protests were also held in Safapora, Larsun and Dangarpora however police chased the protesters away. Two persons were injured in these clashes.
In Kangan, authorities imposed section 144 with strict restriction in
the town. There were complete restrictions on public movement in
market places however only yatra vehicles were allowed to move .
Tariq Mir adds from Bandipore
Hundreds of people defied the restrictions and held protest demonstrations at many places in north Kashmir’s Bandipore  district demanding action against erring troopers  involved in recent killings. Fearing protests against the killings the government had clamped an indefinite curfew in most districts in the valley including Bandipore since Wednesday morning. Heavy contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF troopers were deployed in Sumbal, Hajin, Naidkhi, Aloosa, Ashtangoo, Papchan, Kaloosa, Watapora and other areas to keep the situation under control. Police had erected barricades and spools of concertina wire on roads at various places to restrict civilian and vehicular movement. The armoured vehicles and troopers were patrolling on the deserted roads.
However, defying restrictions youth took to streets this morning at many places including Hajin, Madvan, Naidkhi and other adjoining villages of Hajin localities raising pro-freedom slogans and were demanding  ction against killers involved in recent killings. The protestors were dispersed by the Army personnel who were patrolling on the roads.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 7 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 7 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST