Life remains crippled in Shopian, partially affected in parts of south Kashmir

Ang: Normal life remained crippled for the fourth successive day due in south Kashmir district of Shopian while business and other activities remained partially affected in the twin districts of Kulgam and Pulwama on Thursday.
However, life returned to normal in south Kashmir district of Anantnag, where shops and business establishments reopened on Thursday morning and traffic was plying normally on all roads after three days of strike against civilian and militant killings on Sunday.
Even though restrictions have been lifted after three days from Shopian and there was no strike call given by any separatist organization, a complete shutdown was observed in the district, where four civilians were killed in security force action on demonstrators who hit the streets after 13 militants and three Army jawans were killed in three encounters in south Kashmir on Sunday.
Meanwhile, authorities have ordered that all educational institutes, including schools and colleges, will remain closed in Shopian as a precautionary measures for the fourth successive day on Thursday, when work in government offices and banks also remained affected in the district.
Life also remained partially affected in Kulgam and Pulwama, where authorities have lifted restrictions imposed since Monday morning to maintain law and order. Despite authorities ordering opening of educational institutes in the twin districts, attendance was very thin as majority of the students preferred to stay indoors in view of the tense situation in south Kashmir.
Miscreants’ pelted stones at security force vehicles at Tral bus stand and Aabghar chowk on Thursday morning in Pulwama, where shopkeepers downed their shutters and traffic went off the road completely.
However, Shops and business establishments reopened and traffic was plying normally after three days in Anantnag, where restrictions were lifted late last night following improvement in the situation.
Life was paralyzed for three days in the entire valley due to strike and restrictions following killing of four civilians and 13 militants in three separate encounters in south Kashmir on Sunday, when three Army jawans were also martyred.
The authorities had imposed restrictions under Section 144 CrPC in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and other major towns in south Kashmir to foil ‘Shopian Challo’ on Wednesday. Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Geelani, Mirwaiz and Mohammad Yasin Malik, have announced to march towards Shopian to express solidarity with the families of those killed in the Sunday violence. The separatist had also given a strike call on Monday and Tuesday.