Valley shuts on MMM call Normal life hit

Srinagar: Kashmir observed a complete shut down on Wednesday following a strike call given by Mutahida Majlis Mashawrat,(MMM) an amalgam of various separatists organizations spearheading the campaign to seek the return of mortal remains of Muhammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9.
Shops, business establishments, fuel stations and other commercial establishments remained closed while skeletal public transport was seen plying on the roads. The authorities deployed contingents of police and CRPF to scuttle any protests. Hundreds of policemen donning riot gears were deployed in the sensitive areas in Srinagar and other towns to thwart any possible trouble.
Most of the roads, soon after Bemina shooting incident in Srinagar wore a deserted look and the forces in large numbers were witnessed patrolling the streets. The localities where strike had a partial impact include Sonwar Bazar, Shivpora, and posh colonies of Rajbagh, Hyderpora, Sanatnagar, Jawahir Nagar, Barzalla and Batwara.
To thwart any protest demonstration, the authorities had blocked most of the exit and entry points of old Srinagar. Armored vehicles were also deployed at some road junctions.
Reports said that life remained completely crippled in South Kashmir’s Islamabad town.The town wore a deserted look. Shops, schools and other business institutions remained closed. Thin traffic was witnessed on roads.Strike was also observed in Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts of south Kashmir.
In north Kashmir life was paralyzed in Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora areas. But thin private traffic plied on the roads. In the Budgam and Ganderbal districts of central Kashmir, the strike paralyzed the normal life. Shops and other business establishments in these districts remained closed and transport was off the roads. Even the transport was not plying on the link roads in these districts.
Complete strike was also observed in Tral, Panpore, Kangan, Chadoora, Pakherpora and Handwara areas.