Several parts of Valley shut down after mysterious incidents of fire crop up

New Delhi, Nov 22: Several parts in Jammu and Kashmir observed a partial shutdown on Thursday.

There was panic among residents after a cab and four shops were torched by unknown persons in various parts of Srinagar. The police, however, clarified that the four shops at the Bahuri Kadal areas caught fire due to an electric short-circuit.

A teashop outside the SMHS hospital too was destroyed in dire. A day before that an auto accessory shop was gutted in a mysterious fire.

These incidents come in the wake of normalcy being restored to a large extent in many parts of the Valley. For the past one week, life was normal in Srinagar and shops were opened for longer hours.

Public transport had also started to play normally.

The police suspect that there is a deliberate ploy to instill fear in the minds of residents. These incidents could be related to that, a police officer informed OneIndia.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested one Asif Ahmad Bhat, from Tral. He is accused of issuing statements threatening the residents. He is linked to the Hizbul Mujahideen the police also said. He was also involved in arson and had damaged a chemist shop in Tral, the police also said.