Strike in Old Srinagar parts against arrests

Normal life was paralysed in a vast area of Old City of Srinagar due to a strike in protest against recent arrests by police and atrocities by the men in uniform.
The call for the strike was giving by a traders’ organization there. Subsequently shops, other business establishments, government offices and educational institutions in the area remained closed. Transport was also off the roads.
The affected areas included Nowhatta, Gojawara, Central Jamia Masjid, Rajourikadal and Hakabazar. The traders also staged a protest dharna at Nowhatta Chowk. They were demanding the release of a local trader Asif Qazi and other youth.
They were also protesting against the alleged ransacking of their residential house, beating of inmates. “We hope that the state government immediately releases Asif and other youth and also take action against the cops involved in the atrocities,” said Abdul Razzak a shopkeeper.
Another trader Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din alleged that the men in uniform let loose reign of terror in the area while dealing with protester. “Our houses were ransacked, properties damaged and innocent youth arrested. The pepper gas used by cops also made of lives miserable,” he added.
The protesters stated that they would be forced to intensify their protest if their demands were not met.
The demonstrators had blocked the roads with big stones. Vehicular traffic movement on the Lal Chowk- Soura road remained disrupted because of strike and protests. The people had to take other routes to reach Soura from Lal Chowk and vice-versa. Even the students from the strike hit, who had gone to schools at other places during morning hours had to face problems due to lack of transport on their return from schools . The local shopkeepers latter held a protest demonstration at press colony here and demanded the release of shopkeeper.
It may be recalled here that Mutahida Majlis-e- Mushawarat (MMM) has called for a valley wide general strike tomorrow in support of the demand for the return of the mortal remains of Mohammad Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Butt. It has also appealed to people to observe a civil curfew. In view of the strike security is being beefed up in the valley.