Normal life remains crippled in Kashmir due to strike for 2nd day

Srinagar, Dec 17: Normal life remained crippled for the second successive day on Monday in Kashmir valley following a strike called by separatists against killing of seven civilian in clashes with security forces in Pulwama on Saturday.

Meanwhile, curfew-like restrictions remained imposed in the downtown and parts of civil lines in Srinagar while historic Jamia Masjid was closed since Sunday as a precautionary measure to prevent protests against the killings.

Curfew-like restrictions also remained imposed in Pulwama town and adjoining areas as a precautionary measure.

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

Business and other activities also 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 remained locked since Sunday 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.

All roads leading to headquarters of 15 Corps in Srinagar have been closed to foil strike call by separatists.

Work in government offices and banks also remained affected in the valley while all the educational institutes remained closed as students preferred to stay indoors in view of the strike.

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, had called for a three-day strike till Monday against Pulwama killings.

Hundreds of security forces and state police personnel remained deployed to strictly impose curfew-like restrictions in main Pulwama town and adjoining areas on Monday. The situation remained tense in south Kashmir, particularly in Pulwama, where seven civilians were killed in clashes, which were triggered after an encounter ensued between militants and security forces that left three ultras dead on Saturday. An Army jawan was also killed in the encounter.

Meanwhile, life remained crippled for the second successive day on Monday in other south Kashmir districts, including Kulgam, Anantnag and Shopian, where business and other activities were paralysed and traffic was off the roads in support of the strike.

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

A report from Baramulla said life remained 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 remained deployed in entire north Kashmir to prevent any law and order problem.