Srinagar, India-administered Kashmir - For seven million residents of India-administered Kashmir, lockdowns are not new - but had made the month of Ramadan all the more harder.

Kashmiris have been struggling with hardships as the government has imposed a strict lockdown for the last three months to combat the highly contagious coronavirus. This is the second lockdown in the disputed region, that had slowly started to turn to normalcy only in February. 

The first lockdown in the region started in August 5 last year, when the Indian-government stripped the disputed region of its limited autonomy triggering outrage and protests. 

The move was followed by repressive measures of a complete communication lockdown and severe military restrictions. 

Repeated lockdowns in the region have led to unprecedented economic loss and mental trauma.

Residents of the Muslim-majority region have been cut off for months and restricted to their homes.

The region has so far recorded more than a thousand positive coronavirus cases and thousands of people have been put under quarantine in government set-up facilities. The poorly equipped hospitals are struggling to meet the crisis situation.

This year, the month of Ramadan has also passed quietly in the region without any festivities as religious places continue to be closed to prevent large gatherings.

The markets are completely shut with little preparations among residents about the upcoming annual festival of Eid. 

The government has justified the lockdown terming it necessary to combat the virus but many believe that such measures are being “taken to further suppress people.”