SRINAGAR: Normal life remained affected for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as the authorities imposed restrictions in certain parts of the city to foil a sit-in protest by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) at Lal Chowk over the killing of seven civilians in a blast in southern Kulgam district Sunday.
All roads leading to Lal Chowk’s historic Ghanta Ghar (clock tower) were sealed with concertina wires while a large number of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed to foil any attempt by the separatists to reach there, officials said.
The authorities also imposed restrictions in parts of the old city as a “precautionary measure” to maintain law and order, they added.
Shops, private offices and other business establishments remained shut in many parts of the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, while public transport was off the roads.
The separatists had not called for a strike on Tuesday, but the authorities shut down all educational institutions and postponed examinations.
The agitation programme was announced by separatists Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL).
Yasin Malik who had gone into hiding to evade arrest was detained in Lal Chowk after he led a march of his supporters towards the clock tower.
Mirwaiz was also detained and lodged at police station Nigeen after he defied his house arrest and tried to march towards Lal Chowk.
Police also prevented Kashmir Inc. from marching towards Lal Chowk.
KCCI Secretary-General, Farooq Amin, in a statement issued here, said the KCCI members were prevented from proceeding towards Lal Chowk. “Despite strict restrictions, a large number of members of the Chamber participated in the protest march. The protest was led by Senior Vice President, Nasir Hamid Khan,” he said.
The members, however, held their sit-in at Regal Chowk, read the statement.
Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) – an amalgam of several trade bodies – also held a protest in Srinagar against the Kulgam civilian killings.
Scores of KTMF members, led by Yasin Khan took out a protest march through Residency road and staged a sit-in at Regal Chowk where police had erected a barricade.
The protesters were carrying placards with messages, like “UN Wake up, “One solution Kashmir resolution,” and “Stop state terrorism” to denounce the killings of seven civilians in Laroo village of Kulgam.