JOIN USNormal life across the Kashmir valley was partially affected on Friday due to a strike called by the moderate Hurriyat Conference to protest against the Army's decision to close the Pathribal fake encounter case, relating to the killing in March 2000 of five innocent persons who were later dubbed as foreign militants.
While shops, business establishments and fuel pumps around commercial hub Lal Chowk and Old City areas of Srinagar remained closed, banks and government offices witnessed thin attendance.
Courts in Srinagar were also closed as the Kashmir High Court Bar Association had supported the strike call.
In Srinagar's Old City areas, the police and CRPF personnel were deployed in every nook and corner to thwart any protest demonstration. Security forces had laid razor wires and erected barricades at some road junctions.
The strike had a partial effect in the Civil Lines areas, with shops and other business establishments remaining open posh city colonies.
Reports said life also remained crippled in Baramulla, Kupwara, Sopore, Handwara and Bandipora towns of north Kashmir. But a few public transport vehicles plied on inter-district roads in the region.
Anantnag town of south Kashmir was also affected due to the strike as shops, schools and business institutions remained closed, added reports. Thin traffic was witnessed on the roads. Reports said hundreds of people held a protest demonstration after Friday prayers in the Pathribal area of Anantnag.
The protesters raised slogans against the Army and the Central and state governments while condemning the closure of the case by the Army court.
The Army recently closed the Pathribal case for lack of evidence.
Ultra killed in Pulwama encounter
One ultra was killed in an ongoing encounter between security forces and militants in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday evening, reports DHNS from Srinagar.
Reports said on specific information Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Army’s counter insurgency forces 55-Rashtriya Rifles battalion cordoned off Kangan village in Pulwama, 40 km from the state capital, around 6 pm. “During the search operation militants present in the village fired upon the search party which was retaliated by the security forces in which one militant has been killed so far,” reports added.