Normal life crippled in Kashmir due to day-long strike

TNN Bureau. Updated: 12/10/2018 2:05:49 PM Regional News

Srinagar, Dec 10: Life came to a grinding halt on Monday as shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the roads due to a strike called by separatists to highlight the alleged human rights violation in Kashmir.

A police official told TNN that they were no restrictions in some parts of Kashmir valley, including the summer capital, Srinagar, though security forces have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order.

However, historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar was closed yet again as a precautionary measure to prevent any protests.

Shops and business establishments were closed and traffic was off the road in downtown, civil lines and uptown Srinagar though few private vehicles, particularly two-wheelers, besides three-wheelers, could be seen plying on some routes.

Business and other activities remained crippled in main business hubs of the city, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve-centre of summer capital, Budshah Chowk, Regal Chowk, Maisuma, Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Batmaloo, Moulana Azad Road, Residency Road and Dalgate.

Additional security forces, wearing bullet proof jackets and holding weapons and lathis in their hands, were seen patrolling the streets in Srinagar areas to prevent any untoward incident.

All the gates of Jamia Masjid, stronghold of chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, are locked since this morning. A large number of security forces and state police personnel have been deployed in the Jamia market and outside the worship place to prevent people from entering there.

Work in government offices and banks also remained suspended while all educational institutes remained closed due to the strike in Kashmir valley, where train service was again suspended for security reasons. Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) has postponed all examinations, scheduled to be held on Monday in view of the strike.

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, has asked people to hold a complete shutdown on December 10, which is observed as Human Rights Day around the world.

A report from Baramulla said life was crippled in this and other north Kashmir towns and tehsil headquarters, where shops were closed and traffic was off the road in support of the strike. Additional security forces have been deployed in entire north Kashmir to prevent any law and order problem. Situation remained tense in Hajin and adjoining areas in Bandipora as two native militants, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Srinagar outskirts on Sunday. A foreigner militant was also killed in the encounter.

Life also came to a grinding halt in central Kashmir districts of Budgam and Ganderbal in support of the strike called by separatists.

Hundreds of security forces and state police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order in major towns and tehsil headquarters in south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag and Shopian, where business and other activities were paralysed and traffic was off the roads in support of the strike.


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