IOK siege enters 97th day

SRINAGAR: The people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and Muslim majority areas of Jammu continued to suffer immensely due to military siege on 97th consecutive day on Saturday.The occupation forces intensified restrictions and ordered closure of schools and colleges today due to the Indian Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ayodhya (Ram Mandir, Babri Masjid) case. The authorities deployed Indian troops and police personnel in strength in every nook and corner of the territory and ordered closure of schools and colleges to prevent demonstrations against the handing over of the Babri Masjid land to Hindus for construction of a temple.The residents are already suffering immensely due to suspension of internet and prepaid mobile services.On the other hand Voice of America in a report said that three months after Indian government revoked the special status of the occupied Kashmir, cut off internet service and censored media coverage of the situation. Isolated reports from the territory indicated that the situation remained tense with a continuing heavy military presence.The Chairperson of Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) Prof. Hameeda Nayeem told the VOA in Srinagar that shops open only for a few hours early in the morning because of the atmosphere of fear and intimidation with people mainly staying indoors.Drones are flying our homes, the army is deployed at every corner and they have already arrested thousands of young men to preempt them from potential agitation, she said.

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