General strike cripples life in Kashmir today

Srinagar, Jul 13: Life was crippled due to a general strike called by several separatist organisations, including Hurriyat Conference (Omar) on the occasion of martyrs day today.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the road.

Government offices remained closed because of holiday while educational institutions were closed due to summer vacation.

In 1931, on this day 23 people were killed by firing by the police of the Maharaja during Dogra rule outside the central jail, Srinagar.

A large number of people had gathered outside the jail when trial of Pathan Abdul Qadeer was going on inside a jail room.

Meanwhile, cutting across the party lines, separatists and mainstream political parties alike remember the sacrifices made by the martyrs of 1931.

Hurriyat Conference (Omar) paid rich tributes to the martyrs at the graveyard yesterday.

Led by chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, the leaders of the HC paid floral tributes and also offered 'fateha' (prayers) there.

The breakaway Hurriyat Conference said they will not allow anybody to ''sell the sacrifices'' made by the martyrs.

A spokesman of the HC said the ''freedom struggle'' launched by the martyrs in 1931 will continue till the goal is achieved.

However, Jammu and kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah was taken into preventive custody along with 20 of his supporters at Munwarabad to prevent him from going to martyrs graveyard.

Several other separatist organisation, including Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League and Islamic students league have also paid rich tribute to martyrs.

UNI