Kashmir Imposes Restrictions After Death of Iran's Supreme Leader

The Government of India imposed preventive restrictions across all ten districts of the Kashmir Valley on March 2 and 3, 2026, following joint U.S. and Israeli missile strikes—named Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury—that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. To maintain law and order, authorities closed all government and private schools, colleges, and universities for two days, while the University of Kashmir postponed examinations and suspended academic activities.

Security forces deployed barricades in Srinagar, specifically at Lal Chowk, and reduced mobile internet speeds to curb the spread of provocative content. These measures coincided with intensified surveillance along the Line of Control after the Indian Army thwarted multiple Pakistani drone intrusion attempts in the Poonch area. Regional officials, including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, chaired security reviews and appealed for calm, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged the administration to exercise restraint and ensure mourners could grieve peacefully.

Shia leader Molvi Imran Ansari encouraged the public to maintain dignity and keep mourning gatherings local. By March 3, Education Minister Sakina Itoo announced that schools in several parts of Kashmir would reopen on March 4, though decisions for Srinagar and Budgam remained pending. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir continued coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs to monitor the safety of approximately 1,200 local students and professionals currently in Iran.