Normal life in Kashmir was affected on Wednesday due to a strike called by separatists against the custodial death of a school principal, Rizwan Pandit, on March 18 in Awantipora. The death had sparked protests in the town, and clashes between people and the police forces.
All shops and commercial establishments in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk remained closed due to the bandh called by the Joint Resistance Leadership, which comprises separatists Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik, the Greater Kashmir reported. However, public transport continued to operate in Batamaloo.
Mobile internet services have been snapped in southern Kashmir. In Srinagar and Budgam districts, these are operating at 2G speed.
“The custodial killing is not only one of its kind but prior to this, hundreds and thousands of young and old Kashmiris have been killed in this manner,” the Joint Resistance Leadership had said in a statement on Tuesday, Rising Kashmir reported. “People must observe complete and comprehensive protest strike on Wednesday against the custodial killing of Rizwan.”
The separatists claimed that those who protest the killing of youth, arrests and the use of the Public Safety Act are labelled “anti-national” and threatened with dire consequences. “While crackdown and arrest spree against political and religious activists and youth continues unabated, the Special Operations Group has been calling political activists and youth to their cargo camp to intimidate them.”
The government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into Pandit’s death. Pandit’s death is the state’s first custodial death this year. The last such death was reported in August 2016, when school teacher Shabir Ahmad Mangoo from Khrew, Pampore, was allegedly tortured to death in Army custody.
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