Downtown Observes Strike, Seeks Removal of Bunkers

 The shopkeepers of old Srinagar today observed a complete strike demanding removal of CRPF bunkers in the area.
The downtown markets of Saraf Kadal, Kawdara, Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Mahraj Gunj and other small markets remained closed demanding security bunkers located in the areas should be immediately removed as they are posing a serious threat to their life and property.
The traffic was also off the roads in these areas. The shopkeepers also staged sit-in protests at various places, alleging that the security forces personnel posted in these bunkers have become habitual of rampage after stone pelting incidents on Fridays and evening time.
The agitated shopkeepers believe that once these bunkers are removed from the area, there would be no stone pelting in future. They said that youths are getting irritated to see security forces killing innocents, arresting youths and pro freedom leadership. They are pelting stones towards these bunkers as a reiteration action. Later, the bunker force personnel forcing their entry into houses beating people and damaging windowpanes and parked vehicles.
“We want that this act of violence should be resolved once and for all. Once these bunkers are removed, there would be no stone pelting and no rampage from CRPF and Police. “The stone pelting after Friday prayers and evening time has become a routine affair in downtown Srinagar. Property worth lakhs got damaged in the ding dong battle and after that forces entering residential areas and went rampage,” said a shopkeeper Mohammad Latif (name changed) of Rajouri Kadal.
The shopkeepers threatened to prolong the strike, incase state government will not take their demand seriously and remove these bunkers. “Number of times in the past, we suggested to divisional administration that these bunkers should be removed, as were removed in various localities of downtown and civil line areas. The government did not take our suggestion seriously and forced us to take to streets,” the shopkeepers added.
The locals of downtown also supported the strike of traders saying that it has become extremely difficult for them to walk near these bunkers in the evening and during the night. “We feel unsafe to talk near these bunkers. It is not only walking, the forces personnel are beating innocents, after stone pelting incidents,” said a local Mohammad Farooq of Saraf Kadal. They said that removal of bunkers will help easy movement of common people during day and night hours.