Srinagar, Sep 8: KashmirValley observed complete shutdown on Sunday against the killing of four persons inShopian district in south Kashmir by paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday. Maisuma area in Srinagar witnessed severe restrictions on movement of people. The shutdown call was given by both factions of Hurriyat Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik. Reports said shops and business establishments across the summer capital of Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir Valley remained closed while public and private transport was off the roads. At many places, inter-district transport was also affected. Four youth were killed and one injured critically when paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) fired on sixyouth riding two bikes in Gagran Shopian in south Kashmir on Saturday. The incident took place hours beforethe controversial Zubin Mehta concert in famedShalimar Garden of Srinagar. Though the CRPF claimed that the slain were militants butthe locals say that all killed youth were civilians killed in unprovoked firing. The incident triggered massive protests and clashes in the entire district. To foil any attempt of protests against the killings, the authorities had Sunday deployed heavy contingents of police and CRPF personnel in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir while cops infull riot-gear were seen patrolling the streets. Reports said police havearrested about a dozen youth from Rainawari and other areas of Srinagar in nocturnal raids in the past two days. They are lodged inPolice Station Nowhatta. In Maisuma area of Srinagar, the authoritiesput in place severe restrictions to stop movement of people. The entry and exit points to the area werealso sealed with barbedwire. Reports said normal life was paralyzed due to the strike in Kashmir districts including Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Budgam and Anantnag. Shutdown was also observed in some other areas of Kupwara including Kulangam, Handwara, Trehgam, Lolab, Langate and Main Town. Meanwhile JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik continued to be in policecustody for the second day after he was arrested during a protest rally against the Shopian killings yesterday and firing on a civilian by the force atBudshah Bridge here. A JKLF spokesman said Malik and other leaders including Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi and human rights activist Muhammad Ahsan Untocontinue to be lodged in Kothibagh police station. Malik in his message from police custody condemned the “biased reporting” by Indian media about Shopian incident. Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani continued to remain under house detention while Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah, National Front (NF) chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Salvation Movement chairman Zaffar Akbar Bhat were put under house arrest. Baramulla town witnessed a complete shutdown in response to the strike call over the Shopian killings. All shops were closed and traffic movement was badly affected. At Khanpora bridge, clashes between youths and police where witnessed throughout the day. Police fired scores of tear smoke shells to quell the protesting youths and these clashes continued till evening. In the evening, reports said two youths sustained pellet injuries during the clashes in Baramulla town. One of the injured youth identified as Adil Ahmmad Dar son of Nazir Ahmad of old town Baramulla washit by a pellet in his left eye and was immediately rushed to a Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. Reports of complete shutdown were also reported from Palhallan,Pattan, Rafiabad, Kreeri and Wagoora areas of the district. Life in frontier district Kupwara remained paralyzed. All shops andbusiness establishments remained closed in Kupwara, Trehgam, Kralpora, Vilgam, Sogam, Lalpora, Handwara and Langate towns. Roads wore a deserted look as public transport was off. (With Altaf Baba, Shahid Rafiq)
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 02:29:32 +0000
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