Srinagar: Curfew remained in force on Thursday in parts of Kashmir valley as a preventive measure to maintain law and order after a youth was killed when security forces allegedly opened fire to chase away stone-pelting protesters.
"Curfew has been imposed in eight police station areas of the Srinagar city," a spokesman of the district administration said here.
It was in force in all the police station areas of the interior city and Maisuma near the city centre, he said, adding curfew was clamped as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
Police and paramilitary CRPF have been deployed in large numbers, and the security forces have erected barricades at many places within the city.
On Wednesday, a 24-year-old youth Bashir Ahmad Bhat was killed and two others were injured when security forces allegedly opened fire to chase away stone-pelting protesters in Nawa Kadal area when security forces were being withdrawn after the poll duty.
Meanwhile, life in other parts of Kashmir valley was disrupted due to a strike call by the separatist groups to protest against the killing.
Both factions of the Hurriyat Conference and pro-freedom Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front have given a general strike call while condemning Bhat's killing.
Shops and business establishments remained shut in most district headquarters, while educational institutions and government offices saw thin attendance, officials said, adding public transport were also off the roads and only private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying.
Kashmir University has also postponed all the examinations that were scheduled today in view of the curfew and strike call.
Opposition PDP also cancelled all its scheduled political activity for today in Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency due to the prevailing situation, a spokesman of the party said.
