Shutdown in Srinagar to mark Gaw Kadal incident anniversary

The commercial hub of Srinagar's Lal Chowk and adjoining areas on Monday observed a complete shutdown on a call given by separatist groups to mark the anniversary of the 1990 Gaw Kadal incident.

Shops, business establishments and offices in Gaw Kadal, Basant Bagh, Lal Chowk, Maisuma, Residency Road and Maulana Azad Road remained closed due to the strike called by joint resistance leadership, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, officials said.

No untoward incident was reported during the shutdown, the officials said.

Several separatist leaders, including Malik and Hilal Ahmad War, were taken into preventive custody on Sunday, they said.

Separatist groups call for shutdown on January 21 every year to mark the day when dozens of persons were killed in an alleged firing by security forces during a protest march at Gaw Kadal. The march was taken out to protest alleged molestation of women by the forces a day before in nearby areas during search operations.