Kashmir strike to protest killing

By Altaf Hussain




BBC News, Srinagar

A total shutdown is being observed in Indian-administered Kashmir to protest against the weekend killings of two Muslim men


allegedly by Indian troops.

"An Indian soldier stands guard on a deserted street in Sopore in Indian-administered Kashmir on Sunday 22 Feb 2009"

A large number of troops have been


deployed to prevent street protests

Shops and banks in all parts of Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley are closed and traffic has been suspended.

The shutdown has been called by hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani. It is being supported by the Kashmir High Court Bar


Association.

The killings took place in Sopore town. The army has announced an inquiry.

Detained

A large number of police and paramilitary troops have been deployed, particularly in Srinagar and Sopore, to prevent street


demonstrations.

The most prominent moderate separatist leader in the valley, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has been placed under house-arrest since Tuesday


evening.

He was scheduled to address a public meeting at Sopore on Wednesday.

"A relative wails near the body of a man killed in Sopore, Sunday 22 Feb 2009"


Emotions have been running high in Sopore town

Some other leaders have also been detained in their homes.

The troops are alleged to have fired on Saturday at civilians in Bumai village.

Two people died and a third man is in a critical condition at a hospital in the summer capital, Srinagar.

Local residents allege the soldiers fired without any provocation.

The army authorities gave conflicting versions of the incident initially but finally ordered a "high level court of inquiry"


into the incident.

They first said the fire had been opened by two unknown people masquerading as Indian soldiers.

Later, they said the civilians had been caught in cross-fire between the troops and the militants.

Overall violence has fallen significantly across Indian-administered Kashmir since Delhi and Islamabad began peace talks in 2004.

However, the peace process has been abeyance since November's attack in Mumbai (Bombay) which killed at least 179 people and which


India blamed on Pakistan.