SRINAGAR: A general strike was observed in the Shopian town of south Kashmir again on Friday, only a day after shops opened and normal life resumed following five days of shutdown.
Local residents are demanding the release of nearly a dozen youth, arrested by the police on charges of stone pelting last Friday.
A shutdown was observed ever since, but shops opened on Thursday after civil society and local traders assured residents of pressuring the police for the youths’ release.
However, a journalist in the area told FreePress that a group of angry, unmasked men forced markets to remain shut again this morning.
Last week protests were held in the town over a call be senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani against Village Defence Committees.
Residents allege the protests turned violent and later police barged into residential houses and thrashed inmates besides damaging property.
They say the police also detained several youth in the area.
The main opposition People’s Democratic Party has criticised the government saying it was responsible for “deliberately disrupting peace” in the region.
“The situation in Shopian is an example of this,” said PDP spokesman, Naeem Akhtar.
