Even as a small group of protesters burnt the effigy of US President George W Bush to condemn the execution of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, hectic trading continued on Saturday ahead of Eid in Srinagar.
Markets bustled with shoppers and pavement sellers did brisk trading as the locals appeared to have virtually overlooked the execution of Saddam.
The news of the execution was received with indifference by the common man in Srinagar.
"Please let me shop for the family. I have no time to comment on this development," said a visibly angered Liaquat Ali, a teacher, when asked to comment on the hanging.
Traffic jams and over-crowding at garment and bakery shops continued while the police tried to clear road jams as pavement sellers in hundreds laid their merchandise on the pedestrian malls in the fashionable Residency Road area in Srinagar.
In downtown Srinagar city, which is otherwise seen as the bastion of separatist sentiment in Jammu and Kashmir, the locals were busy buying the sacrificial animals and other provisions for the Eid festival.
The mood was upbeat throughout the city and the execution of the deposed dictator appeared to have gone unnoticed.
{{/usCountry}}The mood was upbeat throughout the city and the execution of the deposed dictator appeared to have gone unnoticed.
{{/usCountry}}However, outside the Press Enclave in Srinagar, a group of angry protesters set fire to the effigy of Bush and shouted anti-American slogans. This was the only visible impact the execution appeared to have had in Srinagar.