Strike cripples life in Kashmir on death anniversaries of Mirwaiz, Lone

Srinagar, May 21: Life was on Monday crippled in the Kashmir valley due to strike called by separatists on the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone, who fell to the bullets of unidentified gunmen on this day in 1990 and 2002 respectively.

The authorities have suspended train service on Monday in the Kashmir valley and also imposed restrictions in the areas falling under five police stations in the downtown and two in civil lines and old city.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in major towns and tehsil headquarters, including summer capital Srinagar due to strike call by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik on the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Lone.

Mirwaiz Farooq, father of moderate Hurriyat Conference(HC) chairman Mirwaiz Omar was assassinated by unidentified gunmen on May 21, 1990 in his Nigeen house. Later, more than 60 people were killed when security forces allegedly opened fire on funeral procession of Mirwaiz Farooq near Islamia College. On this day in 2002 gunmen also murdered another separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone founder of Peoples Conference (PC) when he was leaving Eidgah after paying tributes to Mirwaiz. Abdul Gani Lone is father of Sajjad Gani Lone, minister in the coalition government from BJP quota and Bilal Gani Lone senior HC leader.

Business and other activities remained paralysed in main business hubs of summer capital, Srinagar, including Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Batmaloo, Mahraj Bazar, Residency road, Moulana Azad road, Dalgate and Iqbal park. Large number of security forces remained deployed to prevent any untoward incident. Shops and other business establishments in restriction free areas in Srinagar also remained closed.

Educational institutions remained closed and work in government offices was affected due to strike. The Kashmir University (KU) and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have also suspended classes and postponed all examinations. Work in banks and post office was badly hit.

A complete shutdown was observed in this and other south Kashmir town and tehsil headquarters, a report from Anantnag said. Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads. Functioning of government offices and banks was also affected while educational institutions wore a deserted look. However, traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, passing through south Kashmir, was plying normally though additional security forces had been deployed at some known trouble spots to prevent any stone pelting on vehicles.

Reports from Baramulla said that business and other activities remained paralysed in this and other north Kashmir towns. Shops and other business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads.

However, some private vehicles could be seen plying on some routes. The Karvan-e-Aman bus, operating between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) has reached Uri to cross over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC).

A complete shutdown was also observed in major towns and tehsil headquarters in central Kashmir district of Badgam and Ganderbal, where business and other activities remained paralysed.