Hartal shuts the valley down

Srinagar:  Complete shutdown was observed in valley on Sunday over the strike call given by several Pro-freedom parties of the state in view of the October 27.
According to reports received by Kashmir Media Watch, the shutdown call affected the normal life across Srinagar and other districts with the stone pelting incidents from North Kashmir’s Baramulla town.
The reports further confirmed that youth assembled in groups at Baramulla bus stand and started hurling stones towards nearby police station. Police later fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
Authorities in view of the shutdown call kept most of the pro-freedom leaders under house arrest including Syed Ali Geelani.
Police also foiled Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah’s Sonawar Chalo programme. He was along with dozens of party workers arrested by police near Sanat Nagar.
According to the KMW correspondent, the situation remained peaceful in major districts of valley with the private vehicles plying on the roads. The Sunday market at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk witnessed the good number of people busy with the shopping.
Pertinently, several separatist organisations including both the factions of Huriyat and J&K People’s Political Party (PPP), Chairman, Engineer Hilal Ahmad War had called for the complete shutdown in valley in view of the October 27 when army in 1947 landed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.  Separatist accuse India of ‘illegally’ occupying Kashmir’s territory and that army has made the state a colony for Delhi.  The separatists in their recent statements had termed the October 27 as ‘Black Day’ in Kashmir’s history.