Srinagar, June 26: Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown on Saturday in protest against the killing of two youth in CRPF firing on Friday. Both the factions of Hurriyat Conference had given a Kashmir bandh call against the killings.
In the summer capital here, shops, businesses, banks, courts and educational institutions remained closed. The attendance in the government was offices was minimal. The traffic remained off road for the second day running. However, private vehicles plied sparingly.
However, the common entrance test for engineering, medicine and other courses was held as per schedule without any disruptions in the various colleges and higher secondary schools here.
The impact of the shutdown was more visible in the downtown localities of Srinagar. However, no restrictions were in place in any locality of the old city. Apart from a few incidents of mild protests and stone pelting at Natipora, Chanapora, Barzulla, the situation remained calm.
Reports of shutdown were received from other districts and major towns of the Valley—Pulwama, Pampore, Budgam, Islamabad, Kulgam, Shopian, Varmul, Bandipora, Kupwara, Handwara and Ganderbal.
In north Kashmir’s Varmul district, people protested the killings by staging demonstrations in the main town at Tehsil Road and Khanpora. Angry protesters pelted stones on police and CRPF. They also targeted the State Bank of India branch on the Srinagar-Varmul highway.
Locals of Chandanwari, Uri, came out on streets after the bodies of two slain militants killed in an encounter at Sopur were laid to rest in the area.
The locals questioned why the bodies were being buried there when they were killed elsewhere.
“Tomorrow if it turns out to be a fake encounter and these men turn out to be innocent civilians, it will bring a disgrace to this area and people will be defamed,” they said.
The locals were pacified by concerned Tehsildar and SHO who assured them that they would take up the issue with district administration.
In Ganderbal, groups of youth protested at Safapora, Karhama, Gratabal. They hurled stones on the vehicles forcing suspension of traffic.
In Islamabad town, people assembled in Sherbagh and offered Gaibana Nimaz-e-Jinaza (prayers in absentia) to the Sopur youth.
Later, youth dispersed and staged protests in several localities including Malakhnag, Reshi Bazaar, Chini Chowk, Kadipora, Mattan Chowk, and Lal Chowk. They clashed with policemen and CRPF troopers and engaged them in ding-dong battles for the rest of the day.
In the neighbouring Kulgam district, people blocked roads at Khudwani and Qaimoh and forced the traffic to go off roads. They pelted stones on vehicles and damages the window panes of at least a dozen private cars.
Protesters also blocked the Kelam-Kulgam road by laying boulders and erecting barricades.

PROTESTERS DEFY CURFEW
Umer Maqbool Dar adds: Curfew continued for the second day on Saturday in Sopur town following killing of two youth by paramilitary CRPF troopers Friday evening. However, people defied the restrictions and held protest demonstrations at many places demanding action against the guilty CRPF personnel.
Fearing protests against the killing of Shakeel Ahmad and Firdous Ahmad, the government clamped an indefinite curfew in the town since Friday evening. Heavy contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF troopers were deployed in Chankhan, Chinkipora, Jamia Qadeem, Main Chowk, Batpora, Khushal Matto, Muslim Peer, Hatishah and other areas to keep the situation under control.
Police had erected barricades and spools of concertina wire on roads at various places to restrict civilian and vehicular movement. The armoured vehicles and troopers were patrolling on the deserted roads.
However, defying restrictions, youth took to streets this morning at many places including Hathishah and Jamia Qadeem localities raising pro-freedom slogans and tried to march towards Main Chowk. The police fired teargas canisters and baton-charged the protesters.
In the outskirts of the town, thousands of people staged demonstrations on Sopur-Sangrama and Varmul-Srinagar highway.
Massive protests broke out in Lalad, Hygam, Bulgam, Trumbgund, Buchoo, Tapper and Pallhalan localities.
The orchards and paddy fields had turned into battle-ground between cops and protesters at various places including Bulgam, Hygam and Trumbgund villages.
Stones, burnt tyres and barricades dotted the roads in Sopur, Sangrama and Pattan. The scene in interior areas of Wugab, Tarzoo was no different. Reports of protests also poured in from Rafiabad, Varmul, Bandipora and other areas of North Kashmir. Demonstrations were also held in Handwara today and large number of people participated in the Gaibana Nimaz-i-Jinazah of the deceased.
Police reportedly stopped distribution of newspapers in Sopur and didn’t allow media persons to enter the town.
Locals alleged that students were not allowed to appear in the Common Entrance Test.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Superintendent of Police, Sopur, Altaf Ahmed Khan said that situation was peaceful and under control. “The situation is calm and peaceful,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Varmul, Bashir Ahmed Khan, said curfew would continue in the town on Sunday. “We will review the situation tomorrow,” he said.

TRAINS HALTED
Gowhar Bhat adds: For the first time since the Northern Railways started the train service in the Valley, the operations had to be suspended on Saturday owing to the “law and order problem” at a few places. A total of four trains were cancelled in view of the protest across the valley.
A senior official of the Northern Railways told Greater Kashmir that a group of young men were staging protests near Hamrey, Sopur, in the morning to protest the killing of two youth in Sopur by CRPF firing.
“The protesters blocked the railway track passing from the area which forced us to suspend the operations to Varmul for the day,” he said.
The Srinagar-Varmul train had to return from Hamrey.
The official said at Bagh-e-Mehtab, on the outskirts of Srinagar, a mob staging protests blocked the railway track which prompted the cancellation of another train.
“We didn’t take any chances and suspended the operations as a precautionary measure. Also due to a shutdown not many passengers were travelling by train,” he said, adding that four trains were cancelled during the day.
Interestingly, this is for the first time since the operations were started in October 2008 that the railways had to suspend operations in view of the protests.
“There have been many bandhs and strikes in Valley but we didn’t stop operations. But today it was for the first time that we halted trains because of the law and order problem,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST