The valley has no connection with the rest of the world due to continued blockade and suspension of communication services since 5th August, Kashmir Media Service (KMS) reported.

Markets and stores remain shut in a silent form of protest. Nearly all of the IOK political leadership was under arrest.

The curfew and restrictions had also rendered the residents with acute shortage of essential commodities like baby food and life-saving drugs and hospitals without medicines and surgical equipment.

Patients were scrambling for medicines while doctors face immense difficulties to reach the duty places.

The clampdown has also ‘crippled local journalists, overwhelmingly disabling them from reporting the ground situation,’ as said by the Kashmir Press Club said in its statement.

Now the authorities have announced that no Muharram procession will be allowed in the occupied territory, fearing that these gatherings could turn into anti-India demonstrations.

The announcement has been made despite the fact that has been the age-old practice across Kashmir that on 8th and 10th of Muharram, huge processions used to be taken out from different areas of Srinagar and other parts of the valley to pay rich tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) – the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) – and his companions who were martyred in Karbala.