SHOPIAN: A complete shutdown was observed in Shopian district Friday against the killing of two militants in Gagloora area of Pinjora Shopian in an encounter with security forces on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday hundreds of people assembled in Imam Sahib and Vehil Shopian after the encounter, with protestors clashing with police and paramilitary.
Police had blocked road near Bonar to stop people from moving towards Shopian Friday, however hundreds of people participated in the funeral of militants. Amid pro-freedom slogans the slain militants were laid to rest in their ancestral graveyards.
Eyewitnesses said that soon after Friday prayers, protests broke out in Shopian while scores of youth attacked Court Complex Shopian where police and CRPF personnel are deployed in large numbers. Police resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the protestors. Reports said that the clashes between protestors and police continued for hours.
All the shops and business establishments remained closed in the town while transport was off the roads.
A police official said that some youth tried to disrupt peace in the town by pelting stones on the police, however, police exercised maximum restraint and dispersed them. He said the situation in the town was peaceful.
Two militants reportedly associated with Hizbul Mujahideen, Arshad Hussain Sheikh of Imam Sahib Shopian and Abid Ahmad of Vehil Shopian. were killed during an encounter in Shopian on Thursday.