On Sunday, normal life in Kashmir was affected due to a strike called by separatists to protest the killing of a civilian in firing by security forces after militants attacked an army camp in Kupwara district on Thursday. Marking the strike, most local businesses, and fuel stations remained shut in the valley on Sunday. Public transport was scanty even though private cars, cabs, and auto-rickshaws were plying normally in some areas of the city. According to officials, the impact of the strike was lesser because of the holiday.
On Friday, separatists, which include the chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference — Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq — and JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik called for a Valley-wide shutdown against the killing of Mohammad Yousuf Bhat in security forces firing on protesters on Thursday. The protesters were demanding the bodies of two militants who were killed in retaliatory firing after they attacked an artillery unit of an army garrison at Panzgam.
The attack killed 3 soldiers, including an officer.
