| Kashmir shuts in protest against death of Zahid, situation by and large normal | | |  Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Oct 19: Life came to a grinding halt across Kashmir valley in response to a strike call given by separatists against the death of Zahid Rasool who succumbed to his burn injuries sustained during an attack carried out allegedly by some miscrants on a truck at Udhampur on October 9.
Reports reaching here said that complete shutdown was observed in different parts of the Kashmir valley.
In Srinagar, the summer capital of state the life came to a standstill due to the strike call. Public transport was off the roads and only skeletal traffic could be seen moving on the roads in the city.
All the government offices, schools, colleges, banks and commercial establishments witnessed almost zero attendance due to the strike call.
Very few people ventured out on the roads since they sensed trouble might broke out given the death of Zahid. Shops remained closed in the Lal Chowk and other areas of the Srinagar city.
The life was virtually paralyzed both in the uptown and downtown areas of the summer capital.
Authorities imposed curfew like restrictions in majority of the areas of downtown Srinagar and also in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of Maisuma police station in the uptown.
In the downtown Srinagar authorities imposed restrictions in areas falling under the jurisdiction of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Safa Kadal, Maharaj Gunj, Rainawari and Kralkhud police stations.
Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in more than due number to thwart protests that might have broken out in the areas of Srinagar city more so in the downtown areas.
The situation remained by and large normal in the summer capital of the state and there were just few reports of stone pelting in Srinagar and other areas of valley besides South Kashmir.
Similar reports of complete strike have also been received from Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Tral, Awantipora, Pampore, Bijbehara, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Sopore, Pattan, Tangmarg, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kangan and Chadoora areas in South, North and Central Kashmir respectively.
Life came to a grinding halt in these areas and each and every section of the life got severely affected due to the strike call.
Normal attendance was badly affected in schools, colleges, government offices, banks and other commercial establishments located in the different districts and towns of Kashmir valley.
It would be in place to mention here that call for strike was given by parallel factions of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF.
The strike call was supported by business organizations like Kashmir Economic Alliance. The separatists along with the mainstream leaders condemned the killing of Zahid and demanded stern action against the 'culprits'. |
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