Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sept 12: A complete shutdown was observed in Kashmir valley today to protest the High Court directive to Government over enforcing ban on beef while the police clamped restrictions in parts of summer capital to maintain law and order.
The High Court earlier this week had directed police to enforce the prevailing ban on sale and consumption of beef strictly. The directive didn’t go well with the people in Valley.
To express their dismay over the ban, the leading separatists called for a shutdown today in Valley which was widely endorsed by religious, trade and civil society bodies.
In view of the shutdown call, most of the shops, commercial establishments, educational institutes and petrol pumps were closed in the city while the public transport was also off the roads. The authorities imposed restrictions in five police stations of downtown city while the curbs were also initiated in Maisuma.
Authorities had deployed additional contingents of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas.
Dozens of protesters clashed with police and CRPF personnel at Habba Kadal in Old City today in the noon. The clashes left two CRPF personnel injured. The clashes continued for nearly an hour and more number of security men were deployed in the area to contain further protests.
The shutdown was also observed in other parts of the Valley. Police said that the situation in Valley remained peaceful as compared to Friday.
The separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik continued to remain under house arrest. Geelani in a statement appealed people not to accept the court directions over beef ban.
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