Kashmir shuts to mourn Srinagar killings

Srinagar, Oct 18: Following the call given by Joint hurriyat comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, a complete shutdown was observed across the Valley on Thursday.
Joint hurriyat in a joint statement issued had appealed people to observe a protest shutdown on Thursday against what they termed as the atrocities being inflicted on people including gruesome killings, arbitrary arrests and PSAs, destruction of homes, harassment of students, attack on journalists and all other measures of repression.
In view of the protest shutdown call, the district administration Srinagar had imposed restrictions in Srinagar areas to thwart any possible protests against Fateh Kadal killings on Wednesday morning.
All the roads leading towards restriction bound areas were sealed by the authorities since the wee hours of this morning, witnesses said, adding that the concertina wires and temporary barricades were erected by the police and paramilitary troopers on the roads, thus halting the vehicular as well as pedestrian movement here.
Besides, all the shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and other establishments were closed while as the traffic was also thin on the roads.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted at few places including Fateh Kadal area today during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth here.
Besides, the railway authorities had also suspended the train services from Baramulla to Banihal here with officials saying that the services were suspended as ‘a precautionary measure’.
The mobile internet services that were snapped in the wee hours of Wednesday morning were restored in Srinagar area.
However, the users complained of low internet speed as the 4g and 3g services continued to remain barred here.
A top police officer said that the situation across the Valley remained peaceful and under control.
Meanwhile, a large number of people participated in the last rites of slain militant Showkat Ahmad Bhat at his native village Dangerpora in Padgampora area of South Kashmir’s Awantipora in Pulwama district.
Bhat according to police was killed in a brief gunfight with the government forces at Dougam Kakapora area of the Pulwama district during Wednesday night.
Reports said that mourners reached the native village of slain militant amid strict restrictions to participate in the last rites.
Mourners raised pro-freedom slogans while a gun salute was also given to slain militant, by some unknown militants, who appeared during his funeral prayers.
Showkat recently joined militant outfit “Tehreeq-ul-Mujahideen”, who was pursuing B.Pharmacy in Kashmir University before joining the said outfit.