Shutdown Affects Life In Kashmir Valley

Srinagar, Dec 31: Life across the Kashmir Valley was partially affected by the separatist shutdown call Monday to protest last week’s firing by security forces on protesters in Pulwama town, although private transport and essential services functioned normally, eyewitnesses said.

Shops, other business establishments and public transport remained closed in both the old-city and uptown areas here.

Government offices, banks, post-offices and essential services like hospitals, water supplies and electricity, however, functioned normally.

The shutdown call evoked greater response in the south Kashmir areas of the Valley.

While Pulwama town, where the firing took place Dec 28, remained curfew-bound for the fourth consecutive day, life was adversely affected in Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian districts.
The Kashmir Bar Association has also supported the shutdown and decided to boycott the courts.

Both the hardline and the moderate Hurriyat groups headed by Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have called for a shutdown to protest the security forces’ firing in Pulwama.

Seven people were injured in retaliatory action by the security forces against a stone-pelting mob. The mob had attacked an ambulance carrying security personnel injured in a gunfight with the militants in Babgam village of Pulwama district in which two guerrillas of the Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit were killed.

Doctors in Pulwama had referred the seven injured for treatment to Srinagar hospitals. A doctor had confirmed to IANS that all had reported bullet injuries.

The state government has ordered a probe into the incident by the additional district magistrate of Pulwama. (IANS)