Kashmir observes bandh against civilian killings

A COMPLETE shutdown was observed on Friday in Kashmir in response to a separatist call against the killing of two civilians at Padgampora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday. Protests were reported from across the Valley while government disallowed Friday prayers at Srinagar’s grand mosque to prevent them.

The Jammu and Kashmir police insisted that there were no curbs on people’s movement in Srinagar. “We detained (separatist leader) Mirwaiz (Umar Farooq) as a preventive measure; he was let off in the evening,” said Srinagar SP Imtiyaz Ismail Parray.

Clashes between protesters and forces were reported from the village of 22-year-old Jalalu-din, one of the two civilians killed on Thursday. Two people were injured when forces fired teargas shells on protesters at Prichoo village. A complete shutdown was observed in Pulwama, where businesses were shuttered, offices remained closed while traffic was off the roads.

Authorities had deployed additional forces to prevent protests amid rain and snowfall. The police said the situation remained peaceful in volatile South Kashmir. “There is no law and order problem in South Kashmir,” said South Kashmir DIG S P Pani.

Reports said clashes in North Kashmir’s Sopore town were quelled with teargas shelling. Train services were suspended. “In view of adverse law and order situation in valley, Baramulla-banihal train service is suspended,” said an official.

Jalal-u-din was killed along with Amir Nazir, 15, close to a firefight scene at Padgampora. Two Lashkar-e-toiba militants were killed in the firefight.