Shutdown in Kashmir to protest killing of youth by army

A separatist sponsored shutdown affected normal life in Srinagar and other towns Saturday.

The protest shutdown had been called by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the killing of a youth by the army in north Kashmir's Bandipore district on Tuesday.

While the army said the slain youth had been an armed militant, villagers and family contested the claim maintaining that Hilal Ahmad Dar was "innocent" and had been "shot in cold blood".

Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony is scheduled to arrive in Srinagar on Saturday on a two-day visit. Antony has already ordered an enquiry into the youths killing. The defence minister also instructed the army to take strict action against anyone found guilty, a statement issued by the army said.

A defence spokesman said Antony's delegation includes the Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and army chief General Bikram Singh .

"During his visit, the defence minister will review the security situation in the Valley and also chair the unified headquarters meeting, besides meeting the chief minister and call on the governor. He will also be visiting and interacting with the troops deployed in forward locations," he said.

Saturday's strike shut shops, businesses, public transport and colleges and Kashmir University in summer capital Srinagar.

Skeletal private transport was plying on the streets.

The authorities have made elaborate security arrangements to main law and order in the city and other towns.

All the senior separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani have been placed under house arrest. The police had on Saturday foiled a march by the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik in the city.

Bandipore town has been on boil since Tuesday with shutdown and clashes between the security forces and stone pelting youth for the past three days.