Shutdown, clashes continue for second day in Anantnag

South Kashmir’s Anantnag district witnessed a shutdown and violent clashes on the second consecutive day on Tuesday, although the rest of the Valley returned to normalcy a day after the strike in protest against the death of the Muslim youth burnt in the Udhampur truck attack.

South Kashmir’s Anantnag district witnessed a shutdown and violent clashes on the second consecutive day on Tuesday, although the rest of the Valley returned to normalcy a day after the strike in protest against the death of the Muslim youth burnt in the Udhampur truck attack.

Reports from the shops in many areas of the district, including the commercial centre Lal Chowk (Anantnag), were shut due to a spontaneous shutdown and traffic was affected.

Zahid, a resident of the district’s Batengoo village, and two others, including a cop, were injured after miscreants in Udhampur attacked a truck with petrol bombs in the intervening night of September 9-10.

Zahid, who had received 70% burns in the attack, died at the Safdarganj hospital in Delhi on Sunday. His co-trucker, Showkat, also a resident of south Kashmir, is still under treatment with 40% burn injuries.

The attack, allegedly by right-wing Hindu activists, came as the issue of cow slaughter and eating beef has caused uproar in the state and the country alike.

In rest of the Valley, however, schools and colleges opened after Monday’s shutdown called by separatist groups and trade leaders.

Kashmir has been witnessing violent protests since news of Zahid’s death spread on Sunday.