SEPARATISTS CALL FOR 2DAY SHUTDOWN, MARCH TO TRAL

SRINAGAR: Separatists in Kashmir Valley have called for a two-day shutdown from Sunday over the “use of force” against the protesters following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district.

The separatists also called for a march to Tral, in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, on May 30 to pay tributes to Bhat and seven other militants killed in two separate encounters in the Valley on Saturday.

While Bhat, who succeeded Burhan Wani, was killed along with another militant in Soimoh village of Tral, the security forces foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Rampur sector in north Kashmir’s Uri, killing six militants.

A civilian was killed allegedly in cross-firing between militants and security forces during the encounter in Tral area.

At least 30 people have been injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in different parts of the Valley.

“We condemn the use of brute force against unarmed civilians, injuring hundreds of them and call for a strike on Sunday and Monday,” a joint statement from separatists — chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik, said here.

They asked people to turn up in large numbers in Tral on Tuesday to pay tributes to the slain militants. They said that calling for a strike has become necessary to protest the “state terrorism” unleashed by the forces on the civilian protesters.