Shopian firing: Strike called by separatists hits normal life in Valley

Normal life in Kashmir was affected today due to a strike called by separatists to protest last night's firing incident in Shopian, in which six people, including two militants, were killed.


Schools, colleges and other educational institutes remained closed due to the strike called by Joint Resistance Leadership. Public transport was off the roads in most parts of the Valley, but some private vehicles and cabs could be seen plying. Train services from Baramulla to Banihal have been suspended as a precautionary measure, a railway spokesperson said.


Authorities have imposed restrictions in areas falling under seven police stations of the city as a precautionary measure, officials said, adding these police station areas include Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Safa Kadal, Kralkhud and Maisuma. Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled for today, a spokesperson of the university said.


Last night, a joint MVCP (mobile vehicle check post) near Pohan in Shopian had signalled a car to stop, but it did not. The armymen were fired upon and they retaliated, in which six people, including two militants, were killed. While the militant was found dead on in the site of the incident, bodies of three young men were recovered from a car. Another man was found dead in another car near the scene of the shootout, while the body of another militant was found in Saidapora area of Shopian several km away.


The Army alleged that apart form the militants, the four persons killed in the firing incident were overground workers of militant groups.