Phone lines cut, queues form at helpline centre in Kashmir

A long queue of men and women waited to to go inside the office of Deputy Commissioner (DC), Srinagar, hoping to get in touch with their families living in different parts of the country.

After five days of restrictions and shutdown of communication lines, the J&K administration has opened a helpline at the DC office for people. Queues formed hours ahead of the scheduled 10 am opening of the office.

On a wall adjoining the gate of the building was stuck a notice: ‘No curfew pass issued here’.

“I came at 7 am from Lal Bazaar, hoping to use the phone to pass on my news to my daughter, who is studying medicine at Bangladesh. I know, I won’t be able to dial an international number from this phone, but I will call a relative in Delhi, who will then be able to tell my daughter that we are all right. I will try to use this phone again tomorrow to find out from my Delhi relative how my daughter is,” said Farooq Hassan here.

Riyaz Ahmad of Batamaloo wanted to call his wife and children, who stay in Bangalore. “I had come home the day communication lines were snapped in Kashmir. My family must be worried about me,’’ he said.

Arshid Khan, who came from Nowgam using interior link roads, said that the curfew resulted in his taking two hours to cover just 9kms. “I took this risk as I have no information about my son, who is studying in Rajasthan,’’ he said.

First Published: Aug 09, 2019 23:28 IST