Srinagar, Dec 10
Except for some areas of south Kashmir, the normal life in rest of the Valley resumed on Saturday once again on the call of joint resistance leadership who have relaxed shutdown for three days beginning today onwards.
people hit streets and markets with the beginning of three-day long relaxation in shutdown announced by joint resistance leadership spearheading ongoing five-month old mass uprising. As per eyewitnesses said all the shops, commercial establishments, schools, colleges, petrol stations and other establishments opened in early hours on Saturdaywhile every kind of transport also plied on roads.
Dressed in colourful uniforms, school children were seen rushing towards their schools in summer capital here. People in huge numbers were seen in all major markets of city including Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk, Nowhatta, Maharaja Bazar, Hari Singh High Street, Koker Bazar etc. There was also huge pedestrian rush. Due to heavy rush of people, scenes of traffic jams were seen all across the City roads, particularly in Lal Chowk, Dalgate, Exhibition Crossing and Batamaloo areas.
Barring part of south Kashmir’s Kulgam, Anantnag and Shopian districts, reports from all other district headquarters suggested that heavy movement of all kinds of vehicles and pedestrians was witnessed on all major roads. Reports said large number of shoppers thronged markets and the markets remained abuzz throughout the day.
In southern Arwani, Vessu Qazigund, Bijbehera, Qaimoh, Khudwani and Zainpora , all kinds of transport and commercial establishments were closed in the wake of killings of two militants yesterday during an encounter. According to a press statement issued by Lashkar-e-Toiba, the two were identified by the outfit as Majid Zargar and Rohail Amin. The LeT said that its top-most commander in Valley, Abu Dujana, managed to give forces a slip from encounter site at Hussanpora Arwani.
Meanwhile, there was no response from people to UN chalo by called by resistance leadership. However, Hurriyat (G) and JKLF took out a joint protest from Kokerbazar in Lal Chowk here but police intercepted them right inside the Kokerbazar market and were detained. A similar protest was taken out by Hurriyat (M) from Jamia Masjid Nowhatta but the activists of Hurriyat were not allowed to proceed ahead by police and they dispersed subsequently. (GNS)
