Separatists call for shutdown, put under house arrest in Srinagar

Separatists had called for a protest shutdown across the valley on Friday after the killing of a teenager.

Srinagar, March 10: Senior separatist leaders in the Kashmir Valley were placed under house arrest and heavy deployment of security forces was made to prevent protests after Friday's congregational prayers here.

Senior separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah, Ashraf Sehrai, Zafar Akbar Bhat and Ashraf Laway were put under house arrest to prevent post Friday prayer protests in Srinagar.

Mirwaiz Umer was scheduled to lead a protest march after the Friday prayers in the Nowhatta area of old city Srinagar. After the killing of a teenager, Aamir Wani, in clashes with the security forces in Padgampora village in Pulwama district on Thursday, separatists had called for a protest shutdown across the valley on Friday.

Another civilian, Jalal-ud-Din, was also brought dead to the hospital after the clashes. According to police, doctors had certified that he had no external or internal injury and his death was not connected with the clashes.

Police said inquest proceedings were ordered into Jalal-ud-Din's death. Heavy deployments of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were made in old city and law and order sensitive areas of uptown Srinagar.

"Similar law and order maintenance arrangements have been made in south Kashmir areas as well, but no curfew has been imposed anywhere in the valley," a senior police official said. Shops, public transport and other businesses remained closed across the valley. Most educational institutions were also closed.

Attendance in banks, post offices and government offices was thin due to non-availability of public transport.

IANS