By Sheikh Imran Bashir, AIP,
Srinagar: Life in Kashmir valley returned to normal on Wednesday after two days of a separatist-sponsored strike to protest the death of a teenager in police firing.
All Parties Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani had in a statement Tuesday evening asked people to resume normal activities from Wednesday.
Commercial and other activities remained paralysed in Maisuma and Gow Kadal areas along with Safa Kadal, in old city, the native place of Malla, as the fourth-day ceremony of the slain youth is being observed today though there was no strike call from any organisation.
Majority shops reopened in the civil lines while life was normal elsewhere in the valley. Schools reopened as did markets, banks and other business establishments.
City roads once again returned to life with most main roads clogged with traffic.
19-year-old Javid Ahmad Malla, who was returning home after attending funeral of his cousin, Mohammad Rafiq Bangroo, was killed and four others were injured when CRPF personnel opened fire on a group of agitating youth trying to set on fire the mobile bunker of 161 battalion of CRPF at Noorbagh locality of the old city.
The killing of Malla sparked fresh violence with the separatists giving a call for Kashmir bandh which was subsequently extended by another day.
Hurriyat Conference (G) which had given the call for strike said there would be no strike today and tomorrow.
Fresh calendar will be issued tomorrow, a spokesperson of the conference said.
A meeting of All Parties Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq scheduled for today did not take place as authorities had either arrested leaders of the two factions of Hurriyat and other separatist’s parties or placed them under house arrest yesterday.
Five persons were yesterday injured when an irate mob, pelted stones on police and paramilitary personnel triggering clashes in the city, officials said to Agence India Press.
Following public outcry authorities ordered an investigation headed by a senior police officer into the causes and circumstances that led to the killing of the teenaged student, which is fifth such case in Srinagar since January 2010.
Three teenagers, Wamiq, Zahid and Irfan, were allegedly killed in operations carried out by police and paramilitary troops.