SRINAGAR: Life is returning back to normal in Shopian in south Kashmir after 22 days of curfew and general strike against the killing of five people, allegedly in CRPF firing on September 7 and 11.
The decision to call off strike from September 22, when authorities lifted curfew restrictions, was taken after a detailed meeting between representatives of Beopar Mandal, Bar Association, traders, transporters and religious leaders was held yesterday.
Most shops and business establishments reopened this morning and traffic was plying. However, the people threatened to migrate enmass from Gagran if the CRPF camp, allegedly involved in these killings was not shifted from the area by October 10.
The meeting decided to observe complete shutdown on October 4 to press for the demand of shifting the Gagran CRPF camp to be followed by a peaceful sit-in.
A complete shutdown will also be observed on October 7, they decided.
It was further decided that Kashmir bandh will follow in case the camp was not shifted by October 10.
However, the meeting demanded identification of CRPF personnel involved in killing of five persons .
The District Magistrate (DM), Shopian, imposed curfew on September 8 following massive protests after the death of four people in alleged CRPF firing at Gagran on September 7, when entire Kashmir valley observed general strike on a call given by breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) against music maestro Zubin Mehta’s concert in Shalimar garden.
Police however, said that one of the deceased was a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Abdullah Haroon.
A school bus driver was killed when security forces again opened fire at Gagran on September 11 to disperse demonstrators who were protesting, demanding shifting of the CRPF camp from the area.
However, the curfew was lifted on September 22, but the business and other activities remained paralysed as people were demanding shifting of the camp, action against the CRPF personnel involved in these firing incident, release of all those arrested during the demonstrations and withdrawal of cases against youths for their alleged participation in stone pelting.
The Government had already directed replacing the CRPF personnel at Gagran camp with Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police and the process of relocation has already started.
