Restrictions in Srinagar continue for second day over separatists' strike

Call for shutdown came in the wake of recent anti-militancy operations being conducted by the security forces in the valley

Restrictions in parts of Srinagar continued for the second day on Sunday in view of a strike called by separatists against the recent anti-militancy operations conducted by security forces in the valley.

Restrictions in eight police station areas continued for the second day on Sunday, a police official said.

He said the curbs were in force in Khanyar, M R Gunj, Nowahtta, Rainawari, Safakadal, Maisuma, Kralkhud and Parimpora police station areas of the city.

The restrictions were imposed as a preventive measure to maintain law and order in view of the strike called by the separatists.

The restrictions were first imposed on Saturday in the wake of killing of a militant in a shootout with police in the outskirts of the city on Friday.

Three militants travelling in a car opened fire on a police team at the Zakura crossing on Srinagar-Ganderbal road, killing sub-inspector Imran Tak and injuring a special police officer (SPO) on Friday evening.

The police team managed to intercept the car and apprehended one militant, but two others fled from the scene.

Later, police came to know that Mugees Ahmad Mir, one of the two militants who had managed to escape, was brought home dead.

Mir, a resident of Parimpora in the city, was brought home dead last evening after he was injured in the shoot-out.

The slain militant was an associate of Zakir Musa, who left the Hizbul Mujahideen to float an IS affiliate in Kashmir.

Mir's killing was followed by the killing of six LeT militants in Hajin area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district in an encounter on Saturday.

Later in the night, the separatists called for a shutdown on Sunday against these killings.

In a joint statement, the separatists, comprising chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference - Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq - and JKLF Mohammad Yasin Malik, called for complete shutdown for today against the cordon and search operations being carried out by armed forces in the Valley.

The separatist troika said, "section of youth feels forced to find expression to their political aspirations and will by resorting to armed means because of stubbornness on the part of Government of India with regard to the resolution of the Kashmir dispute”.

Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments were shut in Srinagar due to the strike, the police official said.

However, he said, the weekly flea market, along the TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre, was open.

The official said public transport was sparse, but private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in many areas of the city.

Similar reports were received from other district headquarters of the valley, he said.