Srinagar: Life across Srinagar and other parts of the Valley was affected on Saturday by a shutdown called by separatists to mark the death anniversary of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Maqbool Bhat. Markets and other business establishments remained closed and public transport did not ply in the city and other major towns of the Valley even as heavy deployments of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were made to ensure law and order. In order to prevent protests and marches by separatists in the city centre areas Saturday, preventive restrictions were imposed by the authorities in Lal Chowk area of the city disallowing any pedestrian or vehicular movement.
Attendance in banks, post offices and government offices was also affected because of the non-availability of public transport in the city.
Skeletal private transport, however, moved in the city.
No untoward incident was reported, although clashes occurred here Friday in Maisuma locality between JKLF marchers and the security forces.
While the police used batons and tear smoke shells to disperse the marchers, five policemen were injured in the stone pelting by the protesters. One constable was reported critical after Friday`s clashes.
The JKLF activists had started a march from the party headquarters in Maisuma towards the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Sonawar area when the security personnel intercepted the marchers triggering a clash.
JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat was hanged this day in 1984 in Tihar Jail.
The JKLF has since been demanding that it be handed over the mortal remains of the party founder who was buried inside the Tihar Jail.
IANS