The normal life remained affected in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday over a shutdown call from separatist leadership against killing of two civilians and two militants including lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) commander Abu Dujana during an encounter and subsequent protests in Pulwama pocket of south Kashmir. The authorities had announced closure of educational institutions to prevent student protests in the region.
A civilian Aqeel Ahmad succumbed to his injuries at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) a day after he was injured in a security forces action in Pulwama where a mob attempted to storm an encounter site. Two militants including Abu Dujana were killed in a brief encounter in Hakripora village. Dujana, 27, a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan, had reportedly gone to meet his unidentified local wife, he had married seven months ago, when he was tracked down by security forces.
A local militant Arif lelhari was also killed along-with Dujana. A civilian was killed and more than a dozen others were injured when the security forces opened fire on protesters who had gathered around the encounter site. The joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik called for shutdown in the Valley against the killings.
Dujana was active in Kashmir valley for the past seven years and involved in a number of attacks on security forces. The authorities have announced closure of some schools in Srinagar and Sopore areas on Thursday to prevent escalation of situation.
Meanwhile, restrictions were imposed in Srinagar areas falling under the jurisdiction of seven police stations including Khanyar, MR Gunj, Safakadal, Rainawari, Kralkhud, Nowhatta and Maisuma. Heavy contingent of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in the Srinagar areas who had erected concertina wires on roads to halt the vehicular and pedestrian movement. The Government had also ordered closure of all educational institutions in the Valley to avoid escalation of street protests.
The rest of the areas in the Valley observed complete shutdown against the killings of two militants and a civilian in Pulwama district on Tuesday.
All the shops, business establishments and petrol pumps were closed while the vehicular movement was also thin on the roads.
Meanwhile, the mobile internet services were also suspended till the afternoon across the Valley. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Range, Munir Ahmad Khan said the situation across the Valley remained under control throughout the day.
“No stone-pelting incident occurred at any place. The situation remained under control and peaceful throughout the day,” he said.