Life crippled in Srinagar as separatists call for strike

Life in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley was crippled on Tuesday by a separatists-sponsored strike called to protest the killing of a teenager in teargas shelling on Sunday.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and transport was off the road in response to calls given by separatists, including both factions of Hurriyat Conference, police said.

Youths pelted stones at vehicles in Batmaloo, Maisuma, Bemina and Natipora in uptown and several other areas of old city, they said, adding the situation was, however, under control.

16-year-old Wanik Farooq, a resident of Rainawari locality, was allegedly hit by a teargas shell in his head at Rajouri Kadal during a clash between police and a mob on Sunday and later succumbed at Soura Media Institute.

At least 35 people, including nine policemen and six CRPF personnel, were injured in day—long clashes between stone-pelting youths and law enforcing agencies in the city on Monday.

Describing the killing of Farooq as the worst instance of “State terrorism”, several separatist organisations, including Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Democratic Freedom Party and Jamaat-e-Islami demanded a probe into the incident and strict punishment to the erring cop who “killed” the young boy with a teargas shell.

Chairman of Hurriyat Syed Ali Shah Geelani said Farooq’s killing “shows how armed forces are carrying out the genocide of Kashmiris. It is a part of a military strategy to eliminate young Kashmiris.”

Moderate faction of Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq described the killing as “a barbaric act“.

He urged the people to observe “civil curfew” by staying indoors to express their resentment over the incident.

JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik described Farooq’s killing as an “inhuman act“.

The High Court Bar Association also supported the strike call and alleged Farooq’s killing was a part of genocide perpetuated by the State in Jammu and Kashmir.