Separatist shutdown affects life in Kashmir Valley, heavy security deployed

Srinagar, Oct 18 (IANS) A shutdown called by separatists affected life across the Kashmir Valley on Thursday with heavy security deployed here and other vulnerable places. The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a separatist conglomerate headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, called the shutdown against the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Mehrajudd in Bangroo, his associate Faiz Ahmad Waza and Rayees Ahmad in a gunfight on Wednesday in Srinagar's Fateh Kadal area. Shops, other businesses and public transport remained closed in Srinagar and other district headquarters of the Valley. Skeletal private transport moved in the uptown areas of Srinagar. Educational institutions were closed due to the Dussehra holiday. The authorities have imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar's old city areas. Train services between Baramulla and Bannihal towns were suspended as a precautionary measure. However, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the valley.