Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 25: Normal life in Kashmir was affected today due to shutdown called by traders and transporters against National Investigation Agency (NIA) raids while curfew like restrictions were imposed in parts of Srinagar.
The business establishments, shops remained closed while public traffic also was off the roads in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir in response to strike called by traders and transporters. The commercial hub Lal-Chowk wore a deserted look with security forces deployed in strength.
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Restrictions were placed in five police jurisdictions of Old City here, to prevent any protests. The restrictions (under Section 144 CrPc) were imposed in parts of Srinagar falling under the jurisdiction of five Police Stations including Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Khanyar and Safakadal. These restrictions were imposed as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident.
The traders and transporters had called for Kashmir bandh as a mark of protest against the NIA notice to Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) chief Yasin Khan, who was summoned to Delhi today. The NIA also summoned a PhD scholar of Kashmir University, Aala Fazili.
The separatists had also supported the strike call. And keeping in view the security situation, all the private schools in Srinagar had closed their schools. The Government schools also remained closed for academic activities as no student reported to the classes.
The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained suspended as precautionary measure.
The traders today staged sit-in to protest against the summoning of Kashmir Traders and Manufacturing Federation (KTMF) president, Muhammad Yasin Khan by the NIA to its headquarter in New Delhi.
Scores of KTMF and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) leaders assembled at Srinagar’s Pratap Park today and held sit-in there. The protesting traders also chanted slogans against the NIA.
The traders termed the summoning of Yasin Khan by NIA as ‘an attack on Valley traders’.
They said that the protest has been organized against NIA summon on Yasin Khan. “We will continue to protest against the NIA until it releases Khan,” they said, adding that a shutdown was today called to express solidarity with KTMF president.
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