Shutdown hits normal life in Valley

Srinagar: Normal life across Kashmir was on Saturday hit by a dawn to dusk shutdown called by Joint Resistance Leadership(JRL) to protest the Supreme Court’s decision to stay an FIR against the killing of an activist of Hurriyat Conference(G) and army personnel in the Shopian firing. while restrictions were imposed in parts of the city to maintain law and order. Meanwhile an Assistant Sub-Inspector of the CRPF was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a stream along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway
A police official said strict restrictions under CrPC Section 144 have been imposed in Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, Safakadal and MR Gunj police station areas of the city, while restrictions were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas.
Restrictions have been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, he said. Normal life was elsewhere elsewhere in the city as most of the shops, business establishments and fuel stations remained shut, while public transport was off the roads, the official said. However, private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in many areas of the city, he said, adding similar reports were received from other district headquarters of the Valley.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) had on Thursday had called for a complete shutdown in Kashmir to protest against the killing of an activist of Hurriyat Conference (G) and the apex court’s decision on FIR against an army major. The Joint Resistance Leadership, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, had issued a statement criticising the Supreme Court for restraining the State Police from taking any coercive steps against Army officers accused in the Shopian firing case. Three civilians were killed when Army personnel fired at a stone-pelting mob in Ganovpora village in Shopian on January 27, prompting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to order an inquiry into the incident.
The FIR was registered against personnel of 10 Garhwal Rifles, including Major Aditya Kumar, under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code.
Father of Major Kumar, the officer named in the FIR, had approached the Supreme Court seeking the FIR be quashed. The Supreme Court on February 12 restrained the Jammu and Kashmir Police from taking any “coercive steps” against Army officers and asked the State government to file a response within two weeks.
Meanwhile an Assistant Sub-Inspector of the CRPF was found dead under suspicious circumstances in a stream along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, police said.
The body of ASI Harinder Singh, posted with the 177th battalion of the CRPF, was found in the stream at Kelamore in Ramban district, a police official said.