SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley Monday observed a complete shutdown on the second hanging anniversary of Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru while government imposed restrictions in several areas of the downtown Srinagar.
The strike was called by almost all the separatist groups.
Authorities imposed restrictions in areas falling under five police stations of Old City which include MR Gunj, Nowhatta, Safa Kadal, Rainawari and Khanyar forcing people to largely stay indoors.
Hundreds of police and paramilitary troopers were deployed across the downtown who imposed restrictions on public movement by erecting mobile bunkers and concertina wires on bridges and junctions, witnesses said.
The streets and roads of downtown wore a deserted look throughout the day. However, the restrictions were eased in the afternoon.
In civil lines of Srinagar, the authorities had not imposed any restriction but additional number of police and paramilitary were deployed to contain possible protests.
All the shops, commercial establishments, banks and petrol pumps were closed in the city. While the schools, colleges were closed on the account of winter vacations, the government offices recorded very low attendance as a result of restrictions and shutdown.
The shutdown was also observed in other districts of the valley on the Guru hanging anniversary. The Sopore town in north Kashmir, the native town of Afzal Guru, also observed a shutdown. The authorities, however, had not imposed restrictions in the town.
In Palhallan hamlet of Baramulla district, violent clashes erupted between youth and government forces against nocturnal raids in the afternoon.
Locals alleged that government forces opened fire on stone-throwing youth resulting in death of a 23 year old Farooq Ahmad alias Prince and injuries to several others. Police also confirmed a death in the clashes.
Meanwhile, as the forces retreated from downtown this evening, groups of youth took to streets in several areas including at Nawab Bazar and resorted to stone pelting, witnesses said.
They said the forces in return chased them but they re-grouped themselves and continued stone pelting and after which forces fired teargas shells towards them. The clashes were also reported from Maisuma in uptown.
Meanwhile, a police official said that barring Palhallan, the situation remained peaceful across the valley.
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