Kulgam shuts against killing of civilian, militants.

All educational institutions and business establishments remained closed while a thin attendance was witnessed in government institutions.
By: Khalid Gul.

Complete shutdown was observed in Kulgam district of South Kashmir on Tuesday against the killing of a civilian and two militants a day before.

Clashes between protesters and police were also witnessed in several areas of the district.

In Kulgam town, Kaimoh, Frisal and Yaripora shops remained shut while transport was off the roads.

All educational institutions and business establishments remained closed while a thin attendance was witnessed in government institutions.

Police and paramilitary forces wearing riot gears and armed with sophisticated weapons were deployed in strength to thwart any attempts of protests in Khudwani and Redwani areas of Kaimoh. “Curfew-like situation prevailed in Kaimoh areas,” locals said.

Eyewitnesses said youth in Khudwani came out and pelted stones on CRPF and police camped in Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences (SKUAST) research institute. The government forces retaliated by lobbing tear gas canisters.

Asif Ahmad Tantray of Redwani village was killed allegedly by security personnel on Monday. While the police claimed that he was killed due to a stray bullet, family members and locals said it was a targeted killing.

Two local militants Javed Ahmad Bhat and Idrees Ahmad Negroo were killed in a 15-hour gunfight with forces in Redwani Bala village of Kaimoh yesterday.

People in large numbers thronged the houses of two slain militants and the civilian in Redwani-Khudwani and Budroo-Yaripora to offer condolences to the bereaved families.

Almost all separatist leaders were detained or placed under house arrest to prevent them from leading protest rallies in the area.

Late in the evening, protesters from Khudwani area marched towards Srinagar-Jammu Highway near Wanpoh and torched a Beacon vehicle. Police and CRPF reached the spot, lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to aerial firing to disperse the protesters. The protesters did not relent and clashes continued. Reports said that several other vehicles were also damaged during the clashes and traffic movement was disrupted for some time on the highway.