SRINAGAR : Normal life was affected in Kashmir on Friday due to a strike called by separatists against the civilian killings in Pulwama district during a gunfight on Thursday.
Shops, business establishments, and educational institutions remained closed due to the strike. While most of the public and private transport remained off the roads, a few vehicles could be seen plying on some routes.
Top separatist leaders including chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference were placed under house arrest as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the Valley.
While hardliner Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani continued to be under house arrest, chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was confined to his home this morning.
Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength at sensitive areas of the city and other major towns of the Valley to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile reports said that soon-after Friday prayers youth assembled near Jamia Masjid area of Sopore town and started shouting pro-freedom slogans within short time the large gathering of angry youth started pelting stones on government forces who in turn retaliated by lobbing tear gas shells to disperse the agitated youth. However no one was injured during clashes.
All shops and other business establishments remained closed in the Bandipora, Pulwama town to mourn the death of Militants, civilians.
