Normal life was partially hit in Kashmir following a shutdown call by separatist groups against the killing of two civilians and two militants during an encounter in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday. The authorities imposed restrictions on the public movement in several parts of old Srinagar and south Kashmir to thwart protests.
Separatist leaders — Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik — had called for a Valley-wide protest shutdown against the killings.
Heavy contingents of police and central reserve police force (CRPF) personnel in full riot gears were deployed in strength in south Kashmir and in parts of Srinagar.
All major road intersections in old Srinagar were blocked with coils of razor wire, cross parking of security force vehicles and makeshift barricades.
The district administration had imposed restrictions under Section 144 in many parts of the Old City. The shutdown had less impact on movement of vehicles and special Sunday markets.
Two civilians Tahira (42) and Shadab Ahmad Chopan (22) were killed in Brenthi village of Anantnag on Saturday allegedly due to firing by security forces on protesters who attempted to rescue holed up militants.
The police said they were killed in the cross-firing between the security force and the holed-up militants. Youth pelted stones at security forces to disrupt the anti-militancy operation in which two lashkar-e-Toiba militants, including a top commander Bashir lashkari and his Pakistani associate Abu Maaz, were also killed.
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of lashkari in Soafshali village of Anantnag district.
Witnesses said people, especially youth, had converged from many areas of the south Kashmir districts to offer funeral prayers to the slain militant. Amid pro-freedom slogans, the lashkari was buried in his native village’s graveyard.