Shutdown, Restrictions hit normal life in valley

Srinagar: The shutdown called by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani the Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman, Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq the Hurriyat (M) Chairman and Yaseen Malik the JKLF Chairman against the arrest of seven separatist leaders by India’s National Investigating Agency (NIA) and the restriction imposed by the government in five police stations of Srinagar city crippled normal life across Kashmir on Tuesday.
Old Srinagar city and parts of uptown Srinagar city wore a deserted look as the movement of passenger traffic hit by the shut down and restrictions crippled normal life across the summer capital like other parts of Kashmir particularly the major towns.
Educational institutions, government offices and bank institutions were shut in almost all parts of valley . Eye witnesses said that majority of the shops were closed in uptown areas of Srinagar city.
Heavy security deployment was seen in different parts of Srinagar city while the movement of the people was restricted in multiple areas of old city.
Separatist leaders, Syed Ali Geelani Mirwaiz Umer Farooq who had called for the shutdown were placed under house arrest in Srinagar, while Muhammad Yasin Malik was lodged in the Srinagar Central Jail.
The protest shutdown was called after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested seven Hurriyat leaders in the “funding” case. The arrested include Altaf Ahmad Shah, son-in-law of Geelani, and Ayaz Akbar, spokesman of the Geelani-led Hurriyat group, and Peer Saifullah, Personal secretary of Geelani. The others include Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shahid-ul-Islam, close aide of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mehrajuddin Kalwal.
Meanwhile, the arrested Hurriyat leaders were on Tuesday produced in Patiala House Court in New Delhi for their alleged involvement in “funding case”, reports said.
NIA has reportedly sought 10 days remand for all the seven accused for alleged illegal money laundering in Jammu and Kashmir.
NIA had initiated a preliminary inquiry (PE) against pro-freedom leaders after Nayeem Khan in a TV sting operation “confessed” that Hurriyat leaders have been receiving funds for “subversive activities” in the Kashmir Valley.