Life comes to standstill in Srinagar after attack on CC member

Srinagar, Sep 24 (UNI) Life came to a grinding halt today in the civil lines, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital due to spontaneous strike in protest against the grenade attack on the house of Jamiat-ul-Ahali Hadeen president and Coordination Committee (CC) member Moulana Showkat Ahmad last night.

Shops and business establishments in the entire civil lines, including the Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Maisuma, Gaw Kadal, Madina Chowk, Red cross road, Exchange road, Court road, Amira Kadal and Koker Bazar remained closed.

Banks and other commercial establishments in these areas also down their shutters. However, traffic was plying normally on the main Maulana Azad and Residency roads.

Elsewhere in the city life was normal and government offices and educational institutions were functioning as usual.

Yesterday, some unidentified armed men hurled a hand grenade towards the house of Moulana Showkat at Lal Bazar on the outskirts of the city, causing minor damage to it. However, Moulana Showkat, who played an important role during the recent agitation in the valley, was not present in his house at the time of attack. His family members escaped unhurt, official sources said.

Moulana Showkat, along with Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yaseen Malik led processions after prayers last Friday.

The CC, an alliance of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC), Kashmir Bar Association, fruit growers, traders and religious organisations besides other separatists, is demanding reopening of all cross Line of Control (LoC) roads, release of all detenues, withdrawal of troops and special power to security forces in the state.

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