Srinagar remained tense and a spontaneous shutdown was observed in the old city on Thursday, a day after three militants were killed in a shoot-out with the police in the city.
The authorities snapped mobile internet services in parts of the city “as a precautionary measure”.
Clashes between local youths and security forces were also reported from Nawa Kadal area, which is the native place of The Resistance Front (TRF) slain ‘commander’ Mehran Shalla, on Wednesday night.
Locals alleged the security forces disallowed funeral prayers in absentia for the slain militant, which led to street protests.
“The bodies of all the three militants were buried in north Kashmir’s Handwara,” a senior police officer said.
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Of late, the body of a slain militant is not handed over to the family for the last rites in the Valley and is buried in far-off places.
Meanwhile, a spontaneous shutdown was observed in parts of the old city. Shops and offices remained closed in the old city’s Lal Bazaar, Hawal, Khanyar, Bohri Kadal, Jamalatta and Nawakadal areas. Security was also beefed up in these areas. However, the shutdown did not impact the movement of vehicles.
The three militants of the TRF were killed in busy market of Rambagh on Wednesday evening. One of the militants killed was behind the killings of a Sikh school principal and a Hindu teacher last month.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, however, has also questioned the manner in which the “encounter” took place in the city.
“After yesterday’s alleged encounter at Rambagh, legitimate doubts are looming over its authenticity. As per reports and witnesses, it seems that the firing was one sided. Again, the official version far from truth is not in line with ground realities as seen in Shopian, HMT & Hyderpora,” Ms. Mufti said, in a tweet.
Reacting to Ms. Mufti's statement, DGP Dilbag Singh said there are people in the civil society who somehow understand the reality but try to say something that is away from the reality. "There are many people active on the social media who are trying to cast aspersions on the killing of terrorists. Unfortunately, there are people who have started looking at the killers as innocent people. In the Rambagh encounter, three terrorists were killed," the DGP said.
He also that those killed in Hyderpora gunfight were not innocents. "A special investigation team has been constituted to investigate the Hyderpora gunfight. We must give them some time to make specific comments. However, I would like to say with full authority that the police are doing its work professionally and our officers know how to conduct operations. We don’t want lessons on conducting operations from the people who are unaware of how the operations are being carried out,” DGP Singh said.
