Life returns to normal in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 18: Life returned to normal in the Kashmir valley on Sunday after remaining paralysed for a day due to strike, called by separatists against shifting of detenues outside the valley jails and killing of a Hurriyat Conference (HC) senior leader by unidentified gunmen in central Kashmir district of Budgam recently.


Authorities have also lifted restrictions in the areas falling under seven police stations in the downtown, Sehahar Khas and civil lines Srinagar. The restrictions were imposed yesterday to prevent any law and order problem.

Shops and business establishments, which are functioning on Sunday, reopened in Srinagar and all other major towns and tehsil headquarters today. Traffic was also plying normally on all routes.

Hundreds of vendors have also set up their stalls on famous three-km-long Sunday market from Radio Kashmir, Srinagar crossing to Hari Singh High Street, including Regal Chowk, Gantaghar and historic Lal Chowk , the nerve centre of the city.

Reports of normalcy were also received from this and other north Kashmir towns and tehsil headquarters, a report from Baramulla said. Shops and business establishments are open and traffic plying on all routes.

Life was reported to be normal in central Kashmir districts of Ganderbal and Badgam, where business and other activities resumed this morning.

Business and other activities also resumed in this and other south Kashmir district and tehsil headquarters. Traffic was also plying normally. However, security forces, including Road Opening Parties (ROPs) remained deployed on the highway to prevent any untoward incident.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising separatists Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, has called for strike yesterday against shifting of detenues from here to outside jails and killing of HC leader.