Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 31: The separatist sponsored strike against Friday’s security force firing on protesters paralysed life in Kashmir valley today while curfew in South Kashmir town of Pulwama continued for fourth day.
Shops and business establishments were closed in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir valley while public transport was off the roads. However, some shops in the outskirts of Srinagar remained open and private transport was functioning normally.
Government offices, banks, post-offices and essential services like hospitals, water supplies and electricity, however, functioned normally.
Reports from South Kashmir said that the shutdown evoked greater response in Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and their adjoining areas.
Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed in full strength in sensitive areas of major towns and Srinagar city as a measure of precaution.
In Pulwama town where the firing took place on December 28 in which 8 persons were injured in security force firing remained curfew-bound for the fourth consecutive day today.
Curfew in the town was imposed after security forces’ firing on protesters, who, as per police, had blocked the way for security force vehicles in which 4 security personnel injured in the Chandipora, Pulwama, encounter were being removed to hospital for treatment.
Eight persons who were injured in the security force firing were removed to hospitals in Srinagar for treatment and condition of one of them is stated to be critical.
Police had blamed Army for the firing on the protesters while Army refuted the police claim saying that their troops were not present in the Pulwama town at the time of the firing incident.
The State Government has ordered a probe into the firing incident by the Additional District Magistrate of Pulwama.
The strike in Kashmir valley against the firing on protesters was called by both the hardline and the moderate Hurriyat Conference factions headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah and Kashmir Bar Association had also supported the shutdown.
The Chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has expressed his concern over the continued curfew in Pulwama township. He said that people are facing hardships due to continued curfew.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Shafat Noor, had called for meeting of the respectable of the town today to discuss the problems faced by the people in curfew.
The Deputy Commissioner assured them that the curfew from the town will be lifted tomorrow. He, however, sought people’s cooperation for maintaining peace in the township.
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