Kashmir remains shut as separatists call shutdown over shifting of political prisoners; Mirwaiz detained

Hardline Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Geelani and moderate the moderate faction’s leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained after they tried to lead marches from Srinagar to Shopian.

Normal life in Kashmir remained disrupted on Wednesday with most shops, business establishments and fuel stations shut, while public transport was off the roads in response to a shutdown call by the separatists.

Policemen stand guard after Kashmiri separatists called for a day-long strike against the recent killings in Kashmir, in Srinagar on Wednesday. (Reuters Photo)

The joint separatist leadership had called for a shutdown against the shifting of political prisoners from Srinagar jails to Jammu and a protest march to Shopian to pay homage to the militants and civilians killed there in a shootout with forces on Sunday.

The march to Shopian was foiled even as restrictions were imposed in several places across the Valley. Hardline Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Geelani and moderate Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained after they tried to lead marches from their homes in Srinagar to Shopian, more than 50 km away.

Wednesday’s shutdown also makes it the third straight day that Shopian and adjoining areas in south Kashmir remained closed against the killings. Four youths and two militants were found dead after a shootout involving army at Pahnoo Shopian on Sunday evening. Two of the bodies -- one of a youth and the other of a militant -- were found near the site of shooting on Monday morning.