Shutdown against Shopian killings, shifting of jail inmates cripples normal life in Valley

Srinagar: Law enforcing authorities on Wednesday foiled the ‘Shopian Chalo’ called by the Joint Resistance leadership (JRL) as strict restriction were imposed in Srinagar’s old city parts and towns of south Kashmir including Shopian district.
JRL comprising of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik had called for Shopian march against the killings in army firing at Pahnoo village in Shopian on Sunday.
To thwart possible protest marches and to curb the movement of the people, restrictions were imposed while roads leading towards Shopian were sealed. Concertina wires were placed at different intersections.
Witnesses said that strict restrictions were in place in Pulwama district while roads were sealed at Pampore, Awantipora and in the main market of Pulwama and Shopian.
Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani was barred from moving towards Shopian.The spokesperson of the amalgam said all the roads leading to Geelani’s residence were sealed by government forces, while barricades were also erected outside his office.
“Geelani Sahab came out of his residence-cum-office at 12:15 noon, but the police and CRPF didn’t allow him to visit Shopian,” said the spokesperson.
Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq defied his house detention to march towards Shopian.
However, a heavy contingent of police detained him soon after he stepped out of his Nigeen residence.
Talking to reporters, Mirwaiz said on one hand “forces laced with unbridled powers under AFSPA are killing people at their will and on the other hand, resistance leadership is barred from even expressing condolence to the families of slain.”
He said crackdown on the pro-freedom leadership is “highly dictatorial in nature.”
Almost all the separatist leaders and activists were either detained at different police stations or put under house arrest.
A police official said that overall the situation remained peaceful across Kashmir Valley.
“There were no reports of any untoward incident from anywhere in the Valley although some stray stone pelting incidents were reported from some places,” he said.
Meanwhile, normal life was affected due to shutdown called by JRL against the innocent civilian killings in Shopian.
Business establishments and shops remained shut while skeletal movement of transport plied on the roads.