Srinagar: As per the media reports the Kashmir valley here on Friday observed a total shut down of business, markets, schools, colleges, and transport and mourned the Indian Army’s arrival in Kashmir on October 27, 1947 and is called ‘black day’.
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard in Srinagar. (File Photo)
In Srinagar, all shops and business establishments remained closed everywhere. Movement of vehicles was, however, witnessed on roads in Batamaloo, Lal Chowk and Dalgate areas. To prevent people from holding any protest demonstrations, the authorities had imposed strict restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in areas of Nowhatta, MR Gunj, Safa Kadal, Rainawari, Khanyar, Kralkhud and Maisuma, a police official reportedly said.
The deployment of government forces including police and CRPF was enhanced and people barred from having congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid for the fifth consecutive Friday. Hurriyat (M) chief and the valley’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was detained inside his Nigeen residence since Thursday evening, reads a quote from a report published in a regional English vernacular.
As a precautionary measure, the Northern Railways suspended train services on the Baramulla to Banihal route for the entire day. Outside the civil secretariat, long queues of buses and trucks were stationed for the Durbar Move to Jammu. Labourers were seen loading trunks and boxes all day.
Furthermore, at Parimpora, from where the new General Bus Stand now operates, buses were seen plying to parts of northern Kashmir, intermittently, people observed a partial shutdown while traffic plied on roads, but less than usual, media sources reported from Baramullah and Kupwara.
Similarly, educational institutions were also closed yesterday and businesses at Bandipora and Budgam were partially closed and thin movement of traffic was witnessed.
A complete shutdown was observed in several parts of south Kashmir, where transport also stayed off the roads. Reports from Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts said that people remained indoors and observed a complete shutdown on the call of the resistance leadership, reports Kashmir Reader (KR).