Curfew in Kashmir ahead of independence rally

Srinagar: Police patrolled the streets of Indian Kashmir on Sunday to enforce an indefinite curfew on Kashmir ahead of a pro-independence rally by separatists.

Police used loudspeakers mounted on vehicles to tell people to remain indoors.

The Jammu-Kashmir Coordination Committee, a new alliance of Muslim separatists and representatives of businesses and lawyers, plans a huge rally on Monday in Lal Chowk (Red Square) in the heart of Srinagar.

"Please cooperate with authorities," senior official, Anil Goswami, told Kashmiris on state-owned Doordarshan television. "If you violate curfew security forces will respond."

The government has announced a ban on public meetings of five or more people for one month, but separatists said they would defy ban and go ahead with the rally on Monday.