Normal life Affected, Internet Restored After 8 Hrs 

Srinagar: Normal Life was on Sunday crippled due to a strike called in the summer capital, Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley on the seventh death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar jail on this day in 2013.

Low speed 2G internet was restored after remaining suspended for about eight hours since early Sunday morning due to security reasons in the Valley, where broadband internet services remained suspended since August 5.

Official sources said that all cellular companies were directed to suspend internet services in the valley from 0800 hrs to 1600 hrs for security reasons.

The gag on internet, including mobile and broadband, has badly affected professionals, whose work was dependent on internet. Scores of such professionals, who work for different multi-national companies, had to shift to other parts of the country, fearing losing their jobs.

Meanwhile, the famous weekly Sunday market in the summer capital, Srinagar, was closed and 3-km-long road stretch between Radio Kashmir and Hari Singh High Street (HSHS) was deserted with only security forces deployed to maintain law and order.

Business and other activities were paralysed and traffic was off the roads in major towns and tehsil headquarters in the valley.

Shops and business establishments were closed and public transport was off the roads in Srinagar. However, good number of private vehicles besides three-wheelers and cabs could be seen plying in the civil lines and Moulana Azad road besides in the uptown. There was no traffic movement in historic Lal Chowk, which has been closed since early this morning.

Business activities remained paralysed in main business hubs of Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Batmaloo, Dalgate, Regal Chowk, Moulana Azad road, Residency road and Mahraj Bazar.

A large number of security forces have been deployed in the city to prevent any untoward incident.

Life was crippled in this and other major towns and tehsil headquarters in north Kashmir due to strike, a report from Baramulla said.

Additional security forces were deployed on main bridges over river Jhelum, connecting downtown with civil lines in Baramulla.

Similarly, hundreds of security forces and state police personnel have been deployed in other major towns, including Sopore, hometown of Guru, in north Kashmir to prevent any demonstration. Additional security forces have been deployed on the Srinaar-Uri highway to prevent stone pelting on vehicles.

Reports of complete shutdown were also received from different towns in south Kashmir, a report from Anantnag said. Business and other establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads. However, some private vehicles and cabs could be seen plying on some routes.

Similar reports were also received from central Kashmir districts of Ganderbal and Budgam.

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