Normal life remains affected in Kashmir Valley

Srinagar: Normal life remained affected in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday due to the strike called by separatists, even as some inter-districts cabs plied on the roads.

Most of the shops, fuel stations, and other business establishments across the Valley were shut while public transport was off the roads in most areas.

However, some cabs and mini-buses were plying in some areas in the civil lines as well as in the outskirts of the city here, officials said, adding few shops were also open in these areas.

While reports of shutdown were received from most of the district headquarters of the Valley, some inter-district cabs, connecting the summer capital Srinagar with other districts of the Valley, were plying, they said.

Vendors put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre.

Except for the past weekend, Kashmir has witnessed shutdown for the last 138 days.

The separatists, who are spearheading the agitation since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, have been issuing weekly protest programmes.

They had announced two full days of relaxation on the weekend last week in the agitation programme.

The markets are expected to come to life later in the evening as separatists have announced a 15-hours relaxation from 4 pm.

As many as 86 people, including two cops, have been killed and several thousand injured in the ongoing unrest in the Valley. Around 5,000 security forces personnel have also been injured in the clashes.