Jammu and Kashmir: Authorities impose 64-hour lockdown by blocking non-essential movement in state as COVID-19 cases rise

Authorities on Friday afternoon imposed restrictions on the non-essential movement of people across Kashmir as a 64-hour lockdown began in the union territory in view of an exponential rise in the number of coronavirus cases since the beginning of the new year, officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday recorded 5992 fresh cases of coronavirus -- the highest single day spike since the pandemic began. There are 31,044 active cases in the UT Police vehicles fitted with public address systems announced the restrictions at several places across the valley in the afternoon after the government ordered complete restriction on non-essential movement during from 2 pm on Friday till 6 am on Monday in the entire Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.

Shops and other business establishments in the city and elsewhere in the valley - which had opened this morning - were forced by police to shut in view of the restrictions, they said.

The police closed the markets and asked people to return to their homes.

After the movement of people early in the morning, the police erected barricades at several places in the city here and other areas of the valley and the movement of public was restricted, the officials said.

They said only employees and emergency cases were allowed to move and all other non-essential movement was restricted.

The district authorities appealed to the people to cooperate with the administration and curtail their movement in view of the rising cases.