Srinagar: Normal life remained affected for the third successive day Monday in entire south Kashmir in protest against the killing of three civilians and as many militants since Friday.
Officials said there were no restrictions imposed in any part of the valley Monday though security forces remained deployed in strength to stop any violence.
Even though there was no strike call by separatists, majority of the shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads for the third day Monday in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts in south Kashmir.
However, some shopkeepers have up the shutters at few places, particularly in the interior parts of south Kashmir, where few private vehicles, besides cabs could be seen plying on some routes, particularly inter-district roads.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in the main town of district Anantnag on the 23nd death anniversary of Mirwaiz south Kashmir Dr Qazi Nisar. To prevent any protests or violence, a large number of security forces and state police personnel remained deployed in Anantnag.
Additional forces, wearing bullet proof jackets and holding weapons and lathis in their hands, were also seen patrolling the streets in other major town and tehsil headquarters in south Kashmir to prevent any untoward incident.
However, traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway was plying normally though government forces have been deployed in strength to prevent any law and order problem.
The situation in south Kashmir has witnessed major improvement after fresh spell of violence, triggered by the killing of three youth in government force firing and as many militants in an encounter on Friday.
A youth succumbed on Friday due to injuries sustained in government force firing on protestors at Rengreth on Srinagar-old Airport road on Thursday. Meanwhile, two youth, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed and several others were injured on Friday when government forces burst teargas shells and resorted to firing to disperse protestors, who were trying to disrupt anti-militant operation at Arwani in south Kashmir, where three Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, including top commander Junaid Mattoo, were killed in an encounter.
