Kashmir shuts over militant killings

A complete shutdown was observed across Kashmir Thursday against the killing of a research scholar-turned-militant Sabzar Ahmad Sofi and his associate Asif Shergojri in a gunfight in Nowgam area of Srinagar a day earlier.

The call for shutdown was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.

Sofi and Shergojri, both belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, hailed from southern Anantnag district.

According to officials, the Srinagar district administration had decided not to impose restrictions in Downtown areas but ensure heavy deployment of the police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel to thwart any possible protests.

Sabzar from Sangam (Anantnag) had completed his M.Sc and M.Phil in Botany. He had left his home in July 2016 on the pretext of pursuing his PhD in Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, but went on to join the militant ranks.

While shops and other business establishments across Srinagar remained closed, thin traffic movement, mostly private, was observed in city center Lal Chowk and some other areas.

The Srinagar administration had ordered closure of schools and colleges in the district as a “precautionary measure.”

According to reports and witnesses, shutdown was also observed in southern districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag as well as northern districts of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara.

In Anantnag, people continued to visit residences of Sabzaar and Asif, at Sangam and Khiram villages respectively, to express sympathies with the bereaved.

On Wednesday, thousands of people had participated in multiple funerals of the two militants.

The resistance leadership including Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq continued to remain confined to their homes while Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik has been lodged in police station Maisuma here, where he developed some health issue after which he was taken to a hospital for a checkup.