Kashmir unrest: Situation improves in Sringar as people defy strike call by separatists

Massive traffic jams were witnessed in many parts of Srinagar on Monday as people defied the strike call given by the separatists. 

Queues of private vehicles could be seen in many parts of the city including Rambagh, Jawahar Nagar, Bemina, Batamaloo and Tengpora Bypass as people slowly began to pick up the threads of their lives affected by the separatist sponsored strike, officials said.

They said additional traffic police personnel were deployed at some intersections in the city to ensure smooth flow of traffic, which was at its peak since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces that triggered the current unrest.

An increased number of street vendors set up stalls at many places around the commercial hub of Lal Chowk in the summer capital.

"More shopkeepers are now opening their business establishments and there is improvement in movement of people and transport with each passing day, the official said.

However, normal life continued to remain affected in the rest of the Valley due to separatist-sponsored strike.

While there were no curbs on the movement of people anywhere in Kashmir, the official said restrictions on assembly of four or more people were in place throughout the Valley for maintaining law and order. He said security forces have been deployed in strength at vulnerable spots and along the main roads as a precautionary measure.

Shops, business establishments and fuel stations remained shut, but are expected to open this evening as separatists have given a 14-hour relaxation in the shutdown from 5pm.

The ongoing unrest in Kashmir has affected the education as schools, colleges and other educational institutions continue to remain shut in the Valley. As many as 85 people, including two cops, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the ongoing unrest in the Valley.