Life remains paralyzed as people observe strike on ‘martyrs’ day
Normal life took a hit here today due to a strike call given by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) as authorities imposed curfew in parts of Kashmir to foil the pro-freedom protests.
Government imposed curfew in Shopian town and restrictions in many other parts of Kashmir even as the strike call that was given by separatist leaders here threw the normal life out of gear in Kashmir.
Officials said that curfew was clamped in Shopian town of South Kashmir as a “precautionary measure’’ to “maintain law and order’’. Authorities also put curbs on the movement of people in the areas that fell in the seven police station areas of Srinagar. Similar curbs were imposed in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam districts as well as in the militancy infested Shopian.
A senior government official said, “Restrictions on the assembly of people have been imposed in Sopore and Handwara townships in North Kashmir,’’ adding that “heavy deployment of security forces has been made in the rest of the Kashmir region.’’
Authorities had imposed heavy measures to prevent any untoward incident in view of the strike call that was announced by the separatists to mark the death anniversary of 21 persons who were killed in firing by the Dogra Army in 1931.
In response to the strike call given by the separatists, shops and business establishments were shut while the public transport remained off the road. Police had suspended the mobile internet services across Kashmir to bar the spreading of incendiary videos on the social networking sites across Kashmir. However, the BSNL broad-band service was working.
The government offices and banks remained closed due to a holiday today while educational institutions are already shut on account of summer vacations. The impact of strike call was more severe in Srinagar and other townships of Kashmir.
The joint resistance leadership (JRL) of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammad Yaseen Malik and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq had called for the strike to pay homage to the people who were killed on this day in 1931 after the forces of then Dogra ruler Hari Singh opened fire on demonstrators outside Central Jail Srinagar.
On Wednesday three militants were killed by government forces in Budgam area of Central Kashmir, that triggered fierce protests across Kashmir. Protests were more widespread in the downtown areas of Srinagar and Narbal, from where the two of the slain militants hailed.
KV Correspondent
