Srinagar, Nov 19: Life was badly hit due to the strike called by the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference against the killing of three civilians in Srinagar on Monday.
Four people, including three civilians, were killed in the uptown Hyderpora area of Srinagar on Monday evening in an encounter’ that has come under a cloud since then. While police initially claimed that among the four two were active militants and the other two their ‘associates, families contested and said that three persons were civilians.
This was the first strike called by the Hurriyat since August 2019 when J&K’s special status was revoked and a massive security crackdown was launched against separatists and their sympathizers by the government.
The strike call evoked massive response as shops and business establishments across the Valley remained shut while transport was off-roads, reports said. Due to the official holiday, government offices were not open on Friday.
Reports said hundreds of policemen and para-military personnel donning riot gear were deployed in the sensitive areas in Srinagar and other towns to thwart any possible protest. In old city areas, the security personnel patrolled the lanes and by-lanes.
Similar reports of shutdown were received from all district headquarters in northern and southern Kashmir. (KNT)
