Kashmir stays shut in protest against Budgam killings of three civilians

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley is observing a shutdown on Wednesday against the killing of three civilians during the protests near the encounter site in Chadoora area of Budgam district in Central Kashmir.

The authorities have imposed restrictions in some parts of the old Srinagar city and erected barricades and concertina wire at several places to scuttle any pro-freedom protests.

The business establishments, schools and other private enterprises are closed and attendance in the government offices is minimal. Public transport is also off the roads and Kashmir University and Islamic University of Science and Technology have postponed the exams scheduled on Wednesday. The train services from Banihal to Baramullah in the Valley have also been suspended.


Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yaseen Malik called for the shutdown in wake of the killing of three civilians—Zahid Rashid Ganai, 24, Amir Fayaz Waza, 18 and Ishfaq Ahmed Wani, 24-- near an encounter site in Durbagh area of Chadoora, where one militant Tauseef Ahmad Wagay of Kulgam area was also killed.

On Wednesday, thousands of people joined the funeral prayers of slain militant and five rounds of prayers were offered before he was laid to rest at his ancestral Kanjkul village of Yaripora in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. Soon after the funeral prayers, locals took out pro-freedom protests in the area.

The government also detained MLA Engineer Rashid along with his supporters in Srinagar, to prevent him from marching towards chief minister’s residence in protests against the killings.

Earlier on Tuesday night, four unidentified militants barged in the house of a senior police official in Khudwani area of Kulgam district. The police official currently posted as Superintendent of Police in Srinagar district. This is the third such incident in last one week, during which militants ransacked house of police officials.

On Monday militants ransacked the house of an Assistant Sub Inspector in Shopian and last week, militants briefly abducted and later released brother and son of a police officer in Budgam district and also torched his car.

J&K police chief SP Vaid, on March 8, had also warned militants that ‘they too have families’ when a group of militants ransacked house of a serving police official in Heff area of Shopian, asking his family that the police official ‘should quit his job or face consequences.’