Train services resume in Kashmir

Deserted Banihal-Baramulla railway track on Saturday. —Excelsior/Younis Khaliq
Deserted Banihal-Baramulla railway track on Saturday. —Excelsior/Younis Khaliq

SRINAGAR:  Train services resumed today after remaining suspended for a day for security reasons in the Kashmir valley, where separatists had called for a general strike in protest against detention of seven of its leaders  by National Investigating Agency (NIA) in connection with terror funding.

    “We have resumed all train runs in the valley today,” a railway official said.

      He said train service from Badgam-Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region has been resumed since this morning.

    Meanwhile, he said train service from Srinagar-Badgam in central Kashmir to Baramulla in north Kashmir has also been resumed.

   He said train service had been suspended following directive received from police for safety and security of the passengers and railway property.

    ”We received green signal from the police to resume train service today,” he said.

     Train service was suspended for about than six times during this month due to strike calls and protests.

    Last year due to unrest, train service remained suspended for about six months.

       Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) urged people to hold a complete shutdown yesterday in protests against detention of the leaders by NIA.

     Seven separatists, including hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah and spokespersons of both the factions of HC, were arrested by NIA in connection with funding of militant activities and last year’s unrest in the valley. (AGENCIES)