Shutdown affects life in Kashmir Valley

Srinagar: A protest shutdown called on Wednesday by separatists against the killing of three youth affected life in Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar and other cities and towns of the Valley.

Shops, public transport, educational institutions and other businesses remained shut in Srinagar city on Wednesday, while attendance in government offices, banks and post offices was thin because of non-availability of public transport.

Kashmir University on Wednesday postponed all examinations scheduled for the day because of the shutdown call.

Separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani and Muhammad Yasin Malik have called for a Valley wide protest shutdown against the killing of the three youth whose bodies were found in an apple orchard in Baramulla district on Monday.

Police said the three slain youth belonged to Lashkar-e-Islam, a breakaway group of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the killing was a result of rivalry between the two militant groups.

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallahuddin said in a statement on Tuesday that there was no militant group known as Laskhar-e-Islam and the three youth belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The Hizbul chief also claimed the youth had been killed by the security forces in a stage managed gunbattle.