SRINAGAR: Life across Kashmir valley has been affected due to a shutdown called by separatist groups to protest last week’s firing by security forces on protesters in Pulwama town.
Shops, other business establishments and public transport remained affected in both the old-city and uptown areas of the capital city.
However, government offices, banks, post-offices and essential services like hospitals, water supplies and electricity functioned normally.
The shutdown call evoked greater response in the south Kashmir areas of the Valley.
While Pulwama town, where the firing took place Dec 28, remained curfew-bound for the fourth consecutive day, life was adversely affected in Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian districts.
The Kashmir Bar Association has also supported the shutdown and decided to boycott the courts.
Both the hardline and the moderate Hurriyat groups headed by Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have called for a shutdown to protest the security forces’ firing in Pulwama.
Seven people were injured in Pulwama after security forces fired at people while a gunfight was going on at nearby Chandgam, Bubgam village.
Police said they came under attack from stone pelting youth while moving an injured colleague to hospital.
But residents said the security forces “fired indiscriminately and without any provocation”.
Doctors in Pulwama had referred the seven injured for treatment to Srinagar hospitals. A doctor had confirmed that all the patients had reported bullet injuries, one with critical wounds.
The state government has ordered a probe into the incident by the additional district magistrate of Pulwama.
