Strike cripples life in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 13 : Strike crippled life on Saturday in the Kashmir Valley due to the strike called by separatists against the civilian killings in an alleged security force action.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the valley in response to strike call by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, both under house arrest and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, taken into custody this morning.

Business and other activities were paralysed in the restriction free areas of Srinagar, where traffic was also off the roads. However, private vehicles, besides three wheelers and cabs were seen plying in the city routes.

The authorities had imposed in the Down Town and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) areas under seven police stations and in the old city and civil lines since early this morning as a precautionary measure to prevent any law and order problem.

Work in government offices and public sector undertakings was also affected due to strike. However, banks remained closed on account of bank holiday on Saturday. Shops and business establishments in the main business hubs in the city and outskirts remained closed.

Additional security forces and state police personnel remained deployed in civil lines, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital to foil any attempt by separatist to hold demonstration. Business and other activities were affected in the uptown, where vendors were selling vegetables and other eatables.

Shut down was also observed in this and other south Kashmir towns and other tehsil headquarters, a report Shopian said.

A local correspondent told UNI over phone that shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads. Additional security forces had been deployed to maintain law and order. Security forces were also deployed in strength to prevent any stone pelting on vehicles on Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

Reports of strike were also received from north Kashmir with all shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic off the road in all main towns and tehsil headquarters. However, some cabs and private vehicles were plying. A report from Baramulla said that security forces had been deployed on bridges connecting down town with civil lines. Similar measures had been taken in apple township of Sopore, where security forces remained deployed.

Reports of strike were also received from central Kashmir districts of Badgam and Ganderbal.