SRINAGAR: Normal life in Kashmir valley is disrupted on Saturday due to a shutdown called by separatist groups.
Shops are closed and transport is affected too. However, most of the government offices, educational institutions and banks are open.
The shutdown is part of an ongoing campaign by separatist groups for return of the body of Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru, although other weekly protests have been curtailed.
Guru, a native of Kashmir, was hanged in Tihar jail and buried there on Feb 9.
The union government has refused to return the body despite a formal request by the chief minister Omar Abdullah and some other mainstream political leaders.
The campaign is being spearheaded by the Mutahida Majlis e Mashawarat (MMM) or a joint consultative body of various separatist groups.
There has been no major violence so far. Police and paramilitaries have been deployed in strength in all sensitive areas across the valley.
Life in the valley has been badly affected for nearly two months now either due to a curfew imposed by the authorities or by a shutdown called by the MMM. The disturbance after the hanging of Afzal Guru cost the valley nearly 4500 crore (45000 million) rupees, according to Kashmiri businessmen.
At least six civilians have been killed in violence during this period. Hundreds others, including a large number of police and paramilitaries, have been wounded.
Almost all the separatist leaders have either been put under house arrest or jailed.
Also Read: Kashmiri Separatists Cut Down Protest
