After the separatists’ called for a march to Tral to pay tribute to the slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, the Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed for traffic on Tuesday, reported PTI. Bhat, along with his colleague Faizan Ahmed, was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Saimough village on Saturday.
The Hurriyat Conference’s Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF’s Yasin Malik had asked the people to assemble at Tral in large numbers to pay tributes to the men.
An official said the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway had been closed and no movement of traffic was being allowed on either side. He said the decision to shutdown the near 300-km highway was taken considering the prevailing circumstances in the Valley.
South Kashmir’s Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian were also put under restriction. Officials said there were similar curbs around seven police station areas in Srinagar.
Authorities had imposed a curfew in parts of Kashmir on Sunday to maintain law and order, which continued for the third day on Tuesday. The separatists had called for a shutdown on Sunday and Monday. Several strikes were also observed in areas with no restrictions.
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