Strike cripples normal life in Kashmir on death anniversary of Afzal Guru

Srinagar: Life was on Sunday crippled due to a strike called by separatists in this summer capital and other parts of Kashmir valley on the seventh death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar jail on this day in 2013.
Meanwhile, internet services were again suspended on Sunday as a precautionary measure, to maintain law and order in the valley.
The famous weekly Sunday market was closed, while the three-km-long road stretch between Radio Kashmir and Hari Singh High Street (HSHS) was deserted, with only security forces deployed to maintain law and order.
Business and other activities were paralysed and traffic was off the roads in major towns and tehsil headquarters in the valley.
Shops and business establishments were closed and public transport was off the roads in Srinagar.
However, a good number of private vehicles, besides three-wheelers and cabs, could be seen plying in the Civil Lines and Moulana Azad road, besides in the uptown.
There was no traffic movement at the historic Lal Chowk, which has been closed, since early morning. Business activities remained paralysed in the main business hubs of HSHS, Batmaloo, Dalgate, Regal Chowk, Moulana Azad road, Residency road and Mahraj Bazar.
A large number of security forces have been deployed in the city, to prevent any untoward incident.
Life was crippled in major towns and tehsil headquarters in north Kashmir due to strike, a report from Baramulla said. Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads.
Additional security forces have been deployed on main bridges over river Jhelum, connecting the downtown with Civil Lines in Baramulla. Similarly, hundreds of security forces and state police personnel have been deployed in other major towns of north Kashmir, including Sopore, the hometown of Guru, to prevent any demonstration.
Additional security forces have been deployed on the Srinagar-Uri Highway, to prevent stone pelting on vehicles.
Reports of complete shutdown were also received from different towns in south Kashmir, sources from Anantnag said. Business and other establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads. (UNI)