After days of normalcy, separatists’ strike call throws life off gear

Separatists, who have been spearheading an agitation since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, called for a strike again on Friday throwing life off gear in the Kashmir Valley.

Separatists, who have been spearheading an agitation since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, called for a strike again on Friday throwing life off gear in the Kashmir Valley.

After two days of normalcy, offices, shops and business establishments in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, remained shut, and public transport was sparse, officials said. (PTI)

After two days of normalcy, offices, shops and business establishments in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, remained shut, and public transport was sparse, officials said.

The effect was limited as it was a public holiday in the strife-torn state, they added.

Other districts of the Valley also reported shutdown after the strike call, officials said.

On Wednesday, the separatist camp, comprising leaders of both factions of the Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, had scaled down the protest calendar from five days a week to two days.

They have extended the protest calendar till the end of this month and have asked people to shut shops, businesses on Fridays and Saturdays.

Last month on November 20, the Valley had gained a degree of normalcy after 133 days of unrest, which claimed 91 lives, as separatist leaders called off their strike for the weekend.