Thread by @hiambuj

Back from 2 days Srinagar visit. Went Wednesday early morning. Came back last night. Sharing ground reality (NOT just what is being reported on national media)

THREAD. 👇

AIRPORT : As normal as it always was. Come out, Taxi available on pre-paid booth, but ONLY for Srinagar.

Outstation guys are told to go to TRC, to get outstation cabs. (I visited TRC twice, didn't find ANY outstation cab).

Entry to airport also same as earlier.

ROADS : All main roads were open. No blockages. Barbed wires have been removed to side. No vehicle being stopped. Airport to Hyderpora, Baghat, Rajbagh, Residency, even upto Boulevard. Heavy presence of armed forces. Traffic plying normally on all MAIN roads, but traffic is THIN.

INTERIORS : Downtown is a NO GO. Interior roads have blockades. Some barbed wires. But more than security forces clampdown, it is CIVILIAN CURFEW thats effecting movement.

Very early morning considered to be safest to go to or come out of downtown/interiors.

MARKETS : ALL markets closed. ATMs open. Small 5-10 people queues at ATMS (I checked 3). Medical shops open. Colony Kirana shops open. Vegetable vendors open at Bemina on roadside. Petrol pumps were closed in day (saw 3).

CIVILIAN CURFEW : Youth beating people going out. Pelting stones on even civilians. Snatching away keys of vehicles. Mostly in evening, when forces wind up. Access 2 some interiors cut by youth, putting RCC pipes, trees. They come out, pelt stones, run back beyond these blockades

OFFICES: Govt offices open. Some have outside doors closed, but functional inside. Initial attendance thin. Came to know of orders asking officials to join immediately. Fear coming to office, due to civilian curfew. Starting early, w/o tiffin boxes, to NOT get identified.

PHONE : News of 73,000+ landlines working is LIE. Only some upscale colonies & some Govt offices/officials’ landlines working. Mobile working only for Senior Govt/Police officials. Internet access to select top officials. All other Mobiles/landlines, completely shut.

MEDIA : Media movement VERY restricted. NO OB vans around city. Media center in a hotel. Computers with internet there to file reports. Local newspapers being printed. Read 2 days of GK. Mostly goody news on how things improving.
Almost full normalcy being told, but NOT SO.

OUTSIDE SRINAGAR: Complete cut off. No news coming out, except for media briefs by Govt.

Some helplines/phone put at DC/ADC offices & Police Stations, enabling locals to make calls. Long queues. (I know from a call I got from Sopore).

Outside J&K guys can call at DC offices.

LAW & ORDER: Small, unorganized, localized violence/stone pelting reported in some downtown or interiors. Being controlled at local level by forces, mostly by tear gas shells. In some cases, pellets too. Only one death being talked about, of a 17 years old, who jumped in water.

LAW & ORDER (Contd): NO OTHER confirmed casualty. Many injuries reported. Crackdowns happening in night. Miscreant youth being picked up & sent to jail.

LAW & ORDER (Contd): Many leaders, businessmen, lawyers etc already under arrest or house arrest. SKICC is said to be one big jail now.

Most people I spoke to, DO NOT care about politicians arrests. Didn't speak to any political cadre though.

There is calm on surface. Undercurrent below. Biggest issue is communications cut down. Once lines open, things might get easy for some, worse for administration, as coordinated protests might start, as against impromptu & localized at this moment.

There could be exceptions to all of above, but I didn’t come across. I reported what I saw myself OR told in personal by someone who is eye witness. (END)

Guys, I've just put my experience, observations & discussions in above thread. This is a REPORT, unbiased. Am NOT justifying or condemning ANYTHING in this thread. So, NO point arguing with me on ANY single nitpicked post in the whole thread. I wont engage & shall block abusers.

@threadreaderapp