Valley continues to be under curfew for the past six days. All the district headquarters and major towns are experiencing worst kind of restrictions imposed by authorities. Capital city Srinagar has been virtually changed into a garrison with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and Police officials dotting the empty streets. Freedom of people to move around has been curtailed. Every lane and road has been sealed off. Barricades have been put on roads to impede the vehicular movement. Coils of razor wire and tin sheets have been erected around the symbolic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) at city centre. For a moment it looks that the city has been closed off for once and for all.

The situation is not different in other parts of valley. In the wake of these restrictions, people are forced to remain indoors and suffer. There is dearth of eatables, essential commodities and life saving drugs in every nook and corner of valley. Patients too are not spared. They are not allowed to be taken to hospital.

Inside hospitals again it is a chaos. Those patients who are to be discharged do not have the permission or means of transport to go home. Attendents are facing difficulties in getting food. Health officials too find it difficult to make it to their places of posting. There have been instances, where in health officials have been brutally roughed up and ambulance vehicles damaged by the CRPF and police officials.

Fourth estate too is not allowed to perform its duties and responsibilities. The worst thing is that the newspapers from Srinagar, the capital city are not being published. The staff reporters are not allowed to venture out for reporting the situation on ground and thereby reach office.

About two dozen people belonging to media fraternity have been heckled and physically assaulted. They are being intercepted and questioned thoroughly. Last but not least abused and chased out.

Senior journalists who have seen the beginning of insurgency in 1990s have termed the restriction "worst". They say that never before has the restrictions been as severe as of present.

Curfew passes issued by the authorities are not honoured. Rule of men in uniform govern the streets.

It all happened in response to the mass movement by the people following the march to open LoC for tarde. So far around 40 people have got killed due to police firing. Basically government intends to teach a lesson to the people who came out and rallied in open defiance.Everyone here knows that administration is using iron to deal with the peaceful protestors.

I fear that the restrictions and brute force is neither the solution nor a way towards it. It will only deepen the vicious circle. If this is a policy with administration, there is dire need to have a second thought about it.