Normal life remains affected
Srinagar, Aug 29:
A shopkeeper was gunned down outside his shop in Parimpora area of Srinagar today by the suspected militants.
The 65 year old shopkeeper was apparently killed by the militants for opening his shop against their threats. He has been identified as Ghulam Mohammad.
He was taken to the police hospital where he was declared as brought dead.
The attackers were carrying a pistol and fired from point-blank range.
Police was trying to identify the attackers.
Meanwhile, normal life remained disrupted across the Kashmir valley for the 25th consecutive day today, with markets closed and public transport off the roads.
However, some private vehicles could be seen plying in many parts of the city while some roadside vendors also plied their trade, officials said.
The efforts of the State Government to open schools up to high school level have not borne fruit as parents continued to keep the children at home due to apprehensions about their safety.
Government offices are open but attendance in many offices was thin due to lack of public transport, the officials said, adding the offices at district headquarters registered normal attendance.
While landline telephony services have resumed in many parts of the Valley, mobile telephone services and all Internet services continue to remain suspended since 5 August after the Centre’s move to abrogate Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the State into two Union Territories.
Most of the top level and second rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders including three former Chief Ministers-Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti-have also been either detained or placed under house arrest.
“About 2.10 crore litres of petroleum products and around 5 lac cylinders of LPG have been distributed in Kashmir since August 5. Beside over 1.20 crore litres of petrol, over 80 lac litres of diesel and nearly 10 lac litres of kerosene, was distributed,” an official spokesman said.
Meanwhile, students continued to stay away in the Kashmir valley, where authorities ordered reopening of primary, middle and high schools last week after remaining closed since August 5, when Articles 370 and 35 A were scrapped and State divided into two Union Territories.
According to officials, the Government has reopened schools and now it is for the parents who have to send their children to schools.
They said in some areas in North Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal, students could be seen going to schools though in less numbers.
The class work in Kashmir University (KU), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Central University Kashmir (CUK) and Cluster University remained suspended. The universities have also ordered postponement of semester and other examinations.
Though there was no response from students of Primary and Middle schools, the administration has announced on Tuesday evening that all High Schools in restriction free areas will reopen from Wednesday. The primary and Middle schools reopened last week. However, response from the students was almost zero in most schools in Srinagar and other districts in the Valley.
Though teachers and other staff members are attending their duties, students continued to stay away as parents are not ready to send their children to schools. The situation is still tense and anything can happen any time, the parents said, adding that in the absence of any communication network they will not send them (children) to schools. Mobile and landline phones are still down in most areas, including in Srinagar so parents are apprehensive about the safety of their children.
A correspondent, who visited a number of Government and private high schools on Tuesday, saw no student though staff members were present.
In South Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian, schools remained closed. Similar reports were also received from Budgam in central Kashmir.
Reports from other districts and tehsils could not be ascertained due to suspension of mobile service, internet and landlines. (Agencies)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
