Srinagar, July 27: Life returned to normal across Kashmir Valley on Tuesday as the Hurriyat Conference (G) had called off the strike for today in view of Shab-e-Baraat.
Since early morning people thronged the markets to buy essentials. Schools, colleges, shops, banks, private and government offices opened while traffic was back on all routes. Like the past days, long queues of people were seen outside ATMs.
People mostly swarmed fuel stations, telecom outlets and grocery stores.
The commercial hub of Lal Chowk was flooded with shoppers even as the area witnessed massive traffic jams repeatedly during the day.
Life also resumed to normal in other districts of the Valley including Budgam, Islamabad, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam.
Protests broke out in Kakapora town of Pulwama district as people, mainly youth, from Lelhar village staged protests in the market demanding release of Showkat Ahmad Lone who they said was arrested by police.
Protesters pelted stones on police triggering clashes. During protests police detained four more youth identified as Mushtaq Lone, Abdul Hamid Lone, Rameez Ahmad Bhat and Fayaz Ahmad Lone—all residents of Lelhar.
Later traders and locals later staged a peaceful protest and demanded release of the arrested persons.
In Islamabad, though normal life resumed for a day but late in the evening violent clashes broke out between youth and the men in uniform wherein several people including three cops sustained injuries. Following the clashes strict restrictions were imposed in many old town areas.
Shops, banks, offices and educational institutes earlier opened after about a month’s gap here. The huge rush of shoppers and office-goers resulted in massive traffic snarls during the day in many areas of the town including Lal Chowk.
However, in the evening dozens of youth appeared in the old town areas of Dangerpora, Mattan Chowk, Reeshi Bazar and Kadipora and pelted stones and bricks on policemen. The policemen retaliated by resorting to baton charge and chase away the protesters.
Shopkeepers downed their shutters and people again remained indoors.
The youth then organized themselves in groups and again resorted to stone pelting and gave a tough time to the troopers and policemen. The CRPF and policemen responded by firing tear gas shells and using string shots.
Several people including three CRPF men were injured in the ensuing clashes. Later on additional contingent of police and CRPF men were called in and curfew like restrictions were enforced.
The CRPF men, according to the residents, broke the window panes of several houses in Mattan Chowk and Kadipora. They also smashed the wind shield and glasses of vehicles parked on roadsides.
Restrictions were lifted from all the north Kashmir districts and towns of Varmul, Sopur, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Handwara, and Kupwara where life was back to normal.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST