Srinagar, Feb 17: A complete shutdown was observed across Kashmir on Sunday against the targeting of Valleyites in Jammu and other states in the backdrop of Lethpora suicide attack.
On the other hand, curfew continued in Jammu for third straight day on Sunday following mob attacks on local Muslims and Kashmiris during a shutdown call against Pulwama bombing.
The bandh call given by trade bodies in Kashmir had a thorough response on ground with transport remaining off the roads, business establishments remaining shut and all major roads wearing a deserted look.
Trade bodies had called for the strike in protest against the attacks launched against Kashmiris in Jammu and other states.
To foil protest demonstrations, administration in Kashmir valley had taken requisite precautionary measures including suspension of internet services, imposition of restrictions in old city areas of Srinagar.
Additional deployment of security personnel was made in various volatile areas to thwart any ‘law and order’ disruption.
No untoward incident anywhere during the present strike call was witnessed across Kashmir till this report was filed.
A complete shutdown was also observed in highway town of Banihal in Chenab Valley area as a mark of protest against the mob attacks on Kashmiris and local Muslims in Jammu.
Reports said that all shops and other business establishments were closed in the town.
Anjuman Islamia President Parvez Ahmed Sheikh has also called for a shutdown in the entire Chenab valley on Monday.“We have forwarded this strike call for Monday to denounce the attacks and intimidation of Kashmiris particularly students in different parts of India. We also denounce the violence incited by miscreants in Jammu against Kashmiris,” he told news agency CNS and urged upon people to make the strike successful.
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday reached Jammu in a bid to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir presently staying in Jammu and convey her concern over their security to the state administration.
However according to reports she was not allowed to enter into the PDP head office located in Gandhi Nagar area of the region.
PDP’s Jammu office too, as per reports, was sealed by police and all senior leaders of the party who were helping evacuate people were restrained inside the party office.
Move employees urge Guv: ‘Facilitate our journey back home’
Srinagar, Feb 17: Employees Coordination Committee Civil Secretariat Jammu on Sunday urged the state government to facilitate their journey back to Kashmir in view of mob violence in the state’s winter capital.
In a statement, ECC Civil Secretariat Jammu chairman Ghulam Rasool Mir requested Governor Satya Pal Malik to give employees and their families transport facility and protection from Jammu to their homes as “every one of them feels insecure in Jammu.”
He said the families of move employees were facing shortage of essential commodities in the city. “In case the govt will not provide them safe passage to leave, the employees have no option but to leave till the situation doesn’t get normal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Darbar Move Employees Federation (DMEF) have decided not to join their duties from Monday.
Federation president Owais Wani was quoted saying by news agency Kashmir News Service that given the atmosphere of fear and attacks on their residential quarters, they have decided to stay indoors.
“We can’t leave home and keep our female members alone. Anything worse can happen,” he said.
He appealed Governor Satya Pal Malik to make arrangements for the families of darbar move employees.
“We are running short of essential commodities here in Jammu due to which we are not able to feed our families here,” he said.
He appealed to the Divisional Commissioner Jammu to make arrangements of essential commodities for employees putting up at government quarters.
Wani also appealed to the Jammu based employees to cooperate with them. “We appeal to our employees working in Kashmir and those who are on leave to join the protest programme of Joint Coordination committee tomorrow (Monday) at Srinagar Press enclave,” he appealed.
Mobile internet suspended across Kashmir
Srinagar, Feb 17: Authorities suspended the internet services across Kashmir late Saturday evening in backdrop of reports of attacks on Kashmiris in Jammu and other states.
The internet services were suspended soon after the videos clips of Kashmiris being either attacked or asked to leave outside Kashmir, mostly in north Indian states appeared on social media.
In Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and other states of the country, many Kashmiri students and traders were asked to leave the place.
Meanwhile, curfew continued on the third day as well in the winter capital. Earlier the mob in Jammu had attacked many Kashmiris and properties worth lakhs were damaged.
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