Navy boat tragedy: strike cripples life in Kashmir

Handwara, North Kashmir, May 31 : A spontaneous general strike against the death of 21 children and a teacher in a Navy boat tragedy crippled life in the town and its adjoining villages today.

The agitated parents of the children and other villagers demanded a thorough probe into the incident to bring the guilty to book.

Meanwhile, the bodies of six children were laid to rest after thousdands of people joined the mass Nimaz Jinazah at an open field today.

People also took to streets demanding arrest of those responsible for the tragedy.

The agitated demonstrators said the boat was being used for patrol duty in the Wullar lake with a capacity of just eight to ten people.

''How Navy officials allowed 40 students to board the boat that too without taking any precautions. There was no Navy diver with the boat and students were not given life saving jackets,'' they said.

The situation was by and large peaceful and there was no report of any major untoward incident, Superintendent of Police (SP) Handwar, told UNI.

He said the mass Nimaz Jinazah was arranged for the students who lost their lives in a tragic incident when their boat capsized in Wullar Lake yesterday.

Shops and business establishments are closed and traffic was also off the road.

Work in government offices and other commercial establishments was affected and educational institutions wore a deserted look.

Police had to fire in the air to disperse violent demonstrators at Wullar late last night.

The demonstrators set on fire some huts belonging to Navy and security forces in protest against the incident.

UNI