Nearly 800 Kashmiri youths today appeared in the common entrance exam for selection of junior commissioned officers and other ranks in the Army amid unrest in the Valley following the killing of militant Sabzar Bhat.
"Defying bandh call from various inimical factions, 799 candidates appeared in the common entrance examination held at Pattan and Srinagar today," an Army official said.
"We had received 815 applications from Srinagar and Pattan out of which 799 were able to reach examination centres today," he added.
The official said that 16 candidates, who had passed the physical and medicals tests held earlier, did not turn up for the written exam.
"It is a clear rejection of regressive bandh calls, for choosing a brighter future," the official said.
Authorities in Kashmir today imposed curfew-like restrictions in many parts of the Valley to maintain law and order in view of the protests following the killing of Bhat, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander, in an encounter with security forces.
The restrictions have been imposed in seven police station areas of Srinagar, officials said.
Restrictions have been imposed in Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Kralkhud and Maisuma police station areas of the city till further orders as a precautionary measure in view of the prevailing law and order situation.
Restrictions have also been imposed in Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian districts in south Kashmir and in the township of Sopore in north Kashmir.
Officials said restrictions on movement of people under Section 144 CrPc have been imposed in the districts of Budgam and Ganderbal in central Kashmir to maintain law and order.
The officials said the curbs had to be imposed in these areas as a pre-emptive measure to prevent spread of violent protests which took place yesterday following the killing of Bhat and another militant in the encounter in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
