Streets wore a deserted look in Kashmir again with youths enforcing shutdown at many places as six people were injured in a clash between stone-pelters and police in the valley on Saturday.
As the clock struck 2 PM, youths hit the roads forcing closure of businesses and shops and within minutes the markets wore a deserted look.
In some areas in Srinagar, shopkeepers who offered resistance were greeted with stones, official sources said.
Earlier, schools and business establishments reopened in the morning as separatists asked people to resume their normal activities till 2 PM.
However, in Pulwama the markets opened for an hour with youths descending on the roads and hurling stones to enforce a shutdown, the sources said.
In Baramulla, 55-km from here, six people, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police, were injured in a clash between stone-hurlers and police.
The clash ensued when police chased away some youths enforcing the strike, the sources said adding stones were also hurled at shops and passing vehicles in some areas in the city but no one was hurt.
The situation in the valley became tense on June 11 when a teenager was killed after he was allegedly hit by a teargas shell at Gani Stadium near Rajourikadal.
The situation worsened on June 26 and the authorities clamped curfew and promulgated prohibitory orders to foil a march, called by the separatists, to Sopore. As the situation deteriorated further in the wake of killing of three persons in Batmaloo area in Srinagar, army was deployed.
Yesterday, the authorities slapped curfew on several towns to thwart separatists' march to Batmaloo. People had also staged protests across the valley. PTI
