Separatists Sehrai and Geelani during a press conference in Srinagar

Normal life remained affected in many areas in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday with the imposition of the lockdown in the wake of an alarming surge in coronavirus cases, even as the restrictions were tightened in the Valley due to the death of separatist leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, officials said.

“Restrictions on the movement and assembly of people continued to remain imposed in many districts of the UT in the wake of the lockdown announced by the government," the officials said.

They said while curfew was in place across the Kashmir valley and in Jammu district, restrictions on the assembly of people were also imposed in many areas of the Jammu division.

The restrictions were tightened in many areas of the valley following the death of Sehrai, who passed away at a hospital in Jammu on Wednesday, the officials said.

Sehrai was under PSA detention at Udhampur jail where from he was shifted to a hospital after his health deteriorated. He was buried at his ancestral village in Kupwara district of north Kashmir in the early hours of the morning as per COVID protocol.

The officials said security forces put barricades on roads at many places in the city here as well as in other district headquarters of the valley to prevent the movement of people.

They said while the restrictions were being implemented strictly, essential and emergency services were allowed.

The officials said shops, fuel stations and other business establishments were shut across the valley, while public transport was off the roads.

On April 29, the Jammu and Kashmir administration imposed a curfew in 11 districts in a bid to tackle the surge in COVID-19 cases, which was subsequently extended to all the 20 districts the next day.

The curfew, which was supposed to end at 7 am on May 3, was extended in the twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar besides Budgam and Baramulla till 7 am Thursday.

However, the authorities in other districts of the valley also ordered extension in the restrictions till Thursday.