Shutdown against truck attack affects life in Valley

A shutdown called by separatists against the Udhampur truck attack affected life in the Valley on Monday.

Shops, educational institutions, public transport and other businesses remained shut in summer capital Srinagar and most other cities and towns in the Valley on Monday.

Kashmir University also announced postponement of all the exams scheduled for the day.

Senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik appealed for a Valley wide protest shutdown against torching of a Valley bound truck in Udhampur town of Jammu region last Friday.

Two locals, Zahid Rasool Bhat, 16, and Showkat Ahmad Dar, 35, both belonging to south Kashmir's Anantnag district, sustained serious burn injuries in the attack after miscreants threw a petrol bomb inside the parked truck.

Truck driver Rameez Ahmad jumped out of the vehicle and managed to save himself from the assailants.

A policeman who tried to save the victims also sustained injuries in the attack.

The attack rocked the proceedings of the state assembly on Saturday with legislators seeking stringent punishment for perpetrators of the attack.

Six people have been arrested in Udhampur in connection with the attack.

Two people were initially arrested based on the CCTV footage and the remaining four were arrested following disclosures by those who were arrested.

Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed in strength at sensitive places, including the old cities areas in Srinagar city.

Inter district connectivity in the Valley was also disrupted because of non- availability of public transport.

Attendance in government offices, banks and post offices ran thin because of lack of public transport in Srinagar.