Strike call hits life in Srinagar
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Sept 4 — Normal life was paralysed here today in response to a call given by the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to protest against the holding of elections. All the APHC leaders are already under house arrest to prevent them from creating any trouble during elections.

Shop, business establishments, schools, other educational institutions and banks were closed in response to the bandh call. Transport too was off the roads in the capital. Official and security vehicles however, plied normally. Some auto-rickshaws and private vehicles were also plying in parts of Civil Lines.

According to reports from other parts of the valley, there was a partial response to the bandh call in these areas. Major towns in the valley, including Kupwara, Baramula and Anantnag, were functioning normally. There was no impact of the strike on inter-district routes, the police here said.

The APHC had called for a boycott of elections in the state and launched its anti-election campaign early last month. It stands for right of self-determination for the people of Kashmir and seeks "resolution of the Kashmir issue under the UN auspices".

The APHC Chairman, Mr Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a former Chairman, Mr Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, and other executive members are already in police custody.

Five killed in accident
From Our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Sept 4 — Five persons were killed and 10 injured in two different accidents in the Jammu region yesterday.

In the first accident in the Bhaderwah area of Doda district five pilgrims of Mani Mahesh Yatra died on the spot when their vehicle fell into a khud.

They were identified as Savitri Devi, Mohan Lal, Kanta Devi of Gandoh village, Kitab Singh and his wife, Varda Devi of Thatri village of Doda district.

In another accident a jeep collided with a truck near Patnitop 40 km from here resulting in injuries to 10 persons. They were admitted to District Hospital, Udhampur.