SRINAGAR: Tension prevailed in Kashmir, where shutdown called by the separatists against civilian killings during an encounter yesterday affected the normal life on Monday and youth at some places staged protests and indulged in stone pelting on the security personnel.
Police also detained woman separatist leader Asiya Andrabi alongwith her close aide today.
The shops, business establishments and petrol pumps in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley remained closed. The public transport was off the roads and only private vehicles and some three-wheelers and cabs were plying.
The strike was called by the separatist leaders against death of two civilians during and after the encounter in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district yesterday.
Four militants, two soldiers and a civilian were killed in the encounter while another civilian was killed and 20 others injured in security forces firing on protestors during clashes near the encounter site.
Authorities imposed restrictions in Kulgam and Shopian towns of South Kashmir and also increased the presence of police and paramilitary personnel in sensitive areas in Srinagar and other towns in the Valley.
The cops had placed barricades and concertina wires on the roads in Kulgam and Shopian to restrict public movement.
A police official said restrictions were imposed in Kulgam and Shopian towns to maintain law and order and foil anti-India protests.
He said the security personnel were also deployed in strength in other vulnerable areas including downtown Srinagar to keep watch on the situation and prevent flare-up in the situation.
Police also detained woman separatist leader and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chairperson Asiya Andrabi alongwith her close aide Sofi Faheema from her residence in Srinagar this morning.
She was lodged in Woman Police Station at Rambagh in uptown city.
Earlier, she was arrested on October 4 and released on December 21. After her release, she was under house arrest.
Meanwhile, youth staged protests at many places in Valley including South Kashmir and Central Kashmir to protest against the civilian killings.
Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protesting youth clashed with police and paramilitary personnel by pelting stones on them. The cops retaliated by firing tear smoke shells and resorting to heavy baton charge to disperse the stone pelting youth.
The situation in the Valley remained tense, especially keeping in view the recent five-month long unrest triggered by killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8 last year.
A police official said they are keeping a close watch on the situation to prevent it from taking an ugly turn.
“We have directed men and officers on the ground to exhibit maximum restraint and avoid using excessive force,” he said.
The separatists have called for “march to Kulgam” on Wednesday.
The police official said the separatists march would be foiled and nobody would be allowed to disturb law and order situation in the Valley, which is witnessing normalcy after over five month long unrest.