Spontaneous strike cripples life in Handwara and Kupwara

Handwara, North Kashmir, May 31 (UNI) 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.

Total shut down was also observed in Kupwara from afternoon in protest against the incident. Shopkeepers downed their shutters and vehicles kept off the road.

At Chowgul, police fired in the air to disperse demonstrators protesting against the incident.

Raising slogans against the Navy and security forces, the demonstrators demanded a thorough probe into the incident so that the guilty people are punished.

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

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

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

The agitated X X X Eds here picking up from para five of DR-10 ''AGITATION-KASHMIR-CAPSIZE'' UNI BAS MA VV1648