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Strike cripples life in Kashmir

Life was crippled Tuesday in Kashmir in view of the general strike called by the All Party Hurriyat Conference in protest against the alleged increase in custodial deaths and fake encounters in the state.

Shops and business establishments in Srinagar and all other major towns of the Kashmir valley remained closed.

Traffic was also off the roads. However, a few three-wheelers were seen plying on some routes.

Government offices, banks, ration depots and patrol pumps wore a deserted look.

The strike was also supported by Kashmir Bar Association, traders' federation and transporters' associations to protest against the recent killings of forest corporation driver Bilal Ahmad and Muslim League leader Mushtaq Ahmad in alleged fake encounters.

Bilal, driver of the forest department jeep which was used by Lashker-e-Tayiba militants to reach Srinagar airport last Tuesday, was arrested by the Special Operation Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday morning along with two forest officials and two motor mechanics.

His body was handed to his relatives by police a day later. Police said Bilal was killed in an encounter between militants and the SOG party when they were going for arms recovery in Ganderbal.

However, his family members, the Hurriyat and forest department employees alleged that he was killed in a fake encounter.

The Hurriyat and the Muslim League have also strongly condemned the killing of Mushtaq Ahmad in an alleged fake encounter.

UNI

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