Shutdown, restrictions in Kashmir over killings
SRINAGAR: A Kashmir wide shutdown coupled with restrictions by the police in parts of Srinagar affected day-to-day life in the Valley on Tuesday.
Separatists had called for a strike against the killings of a civilian and two militants in south Kashmir’s Pulwama during a gunfight on Monday.
Majority of shops, businesses and educational institutions were closed in capital Srinagar and other district headquarters while public traffic movement was also very thin. Police imposed restrictions on movement of people in old parts of the city to prevent any law and order situation owing to the shutdown.
“In some parts of city Srinagar you will find restrictions today. While it is a cause of inconvenience, we assure these control orders are temporary. Your police seek cooperation of citizens for maintaining order and peace,” Kashmir police tweeted.
There was huge deployment of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in many sensitive areas of the Valley.
LOCALS PARTICIPATE IN FUNERAL PRAYERS
In south Kashmir’s Pulwama, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of the two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants –Sameer Bhat and Aqib Khan–who were killed in Drubgam village in an encounter on Monday. A civilian Shahid Dar was also killed during clashes with government forces near the encounter site.
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani in his telephonic address to mourners at Sameer Bhat’s funeral paid tributes to the militants.
“We should never barter their sacrifices for petty material gains like employment and development and never should we extend our support to those showering bullets and pellets,” a statement by Hurriyat said that Geelani told the gathering over phone.