Shutdown disrupts normal life in Kashmir
Srinagar, Sept 28: Normal life was affected in Kashmir on Friday due to a strike called by separatists to protest killing of a civilian during a cordon and search operation in the city yesterday.
Authorities had imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar to maintain law and order.
Educational institutions, shops and private offices remained closed due to the strike called by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) to protest against the killing of a 24-year-old youth in Noorbagh area of the city yesterday at the hands of government forces “during an anti-militancy operation”.
Public transport remained off the roads in most parts of the Valley but some private vehicles could be seen plying the roads in the uptown city where there were no restrictions.
Restrictions were imposed on movement of people in five police station areas of the old city as a “precautionary measure”, officials said. Owing to restrictions in Nowhatta and adjoining areas, the congregational Friday prayers once again couldn’t be held at the Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid.
Officials said the situation across Kashmir remained peaceful. However reports said that there were clashes in certain area of the city, including in Soura where police fired dozens of teargas shells on stone-pelting mobs intermittently throughout the day.
Reports of shutdown were also received from major towns of the Valley, particularly the district headquarters.
The Banihal town on the Srinagar-Jammu highway also observed shutdown
Trains service was also suspended as a precautionary measure, officials said.
Owing to the shutdown most of the streets wore a deserted look as heavy contingents of police and paramilitary CRPF remained deployed in sensitive places to prevent protests called by the JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik against the killing of a civilian in Qamarwari Srinagar, arrests of “pro-freedom leaders and activists” ahead of civic polls and “nonstop” Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) across Kashmir.
