Normal life comes to halt on 2nd day of shutdown

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 17

Normal life remained paralysed for the second consecutive day of shutdown across Kashmir today. All shops and business establishments remained closed and public transport plied partially in parts of the Valley.

Meanwhile, the Valley is gearing up for the longest five-day relaxation in the separatist shutdown from tomorrow.

The separatist leaders, who have been jointly issuing weekly protest calendars over the past nearly six months of unrest in the Valley, have for the first time scaled down the shutdown by giving relaxation for five days at a stretch.

While the overall situation remained peaceful, protests were held in Sopore town of Baramulla district today after a nine-year-old boy, Mursaleen Azad, was injured during clashes between protesters and the police on Friday.

Mursaleen was hit by a stone and received injuries in his head during clashes at Bada Bazaar in Sopore after the Friday prayers. The boy has been shifted to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences at Soura in Srinagar for specialised treatment.

As shops remained closed, rows of vendors were seen particularly along the TRC crossing-Lal Chowk-Batamaloo axis here. There was heavy vehicular movement in some areas of the city, leading to congestion at many places, including the commercial hub of Lal Chowk inSrinagar city.

Meanwhile, the government has ordered closure of the schools up to Class VIII from this weekend, while other educational institutions are being closed for the winter vacation from next weekend. The schools have been shut since the current unrest began in July.