Srinagar/April,4: Normal life continues to remain paralysed accoss Kashmur on Wednesday for fourth srraight day as separatists announced a protest march to Shopian town in solidarity with families of the militants and the civilians killed in three diferent gunfighrs and post gunfight clashes with the government forces ‘s several places in South Kashmir last Sunday.
As train services remained suspended for the foruth consecutive day, the authorities closed all educational institutions and postponed exams scheduled for Wednesday accross Kashmir.
Traffic on the otherwise busy Srinagar-Sonamarg road remained suspended for a second day on Wednesday.
The separatist Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik have announced a march to Shopian town to express solidarity with people there.
Authorities deployed forces in large numbers in Srinagar, summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and other places in the Kashmir Valley to curb protests, officials said.
Twenty people, including 13 militants, four civilians and three soldiers, were killed in south Kashmir in three gunfights on Sunday.
Geelani and Mirwaiz have been placed under house arrest while Malik has been lodged in the Srinagar Central Jail to prevent their participation in protests.
Shops, public transport and other businesses remained mostly shut in Srinagar and other major towns in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, officials said.
Private transport, however, plied in the uptown areas and on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old youth killed in forces’ action in Kangan town was buried early on Wednesday.
A shutdown crippled normal life in Ganderbal district following the youth’s death.
The District Magistrate of Ganderbal has ordered a magisterial probe into the youth’s killing while police have ordered a departmental enquiry.
Clashes had broken out in Kangan on Tuesday immediately after the youth’s body was taken there.
