The Kashmir valley on Monday observed complete shutdown against the killings of eight civilians in Budgam and Ganderbal districts on Sunday during parliament by-polls.All the shops, business establishments, schools and offices remained closed while the public transport was off the roads.However a thin number of private vehicles are moving on city roads, especially in Lal Chowk and Jehangir chowk areas.Eight civilian young men were killed by government forces yesterday in Budgam and Ganderbal districts during protests against the elections in Srinagar parliamentary constituency.Following the killings, the Hurriyat had called for two day shutdown in Kashmir and they had already called for shutdown in polling day on April 12 in Anantnag parliamentary constituencies.According to KNS correspondent, clashes erupted between youth and forces in Natipora area of Srinagar in this afternoon following which the forces used tear smoke shells to disperse the youth who were throwing stones on them.
Clashes also erupted between youth and forces in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district after people protested against the arrest of youth by police.Minor clashes and protests also erupted in Ganderbal areas after the burial of a youth Omar Farooq who was killed yesterday evening after the by-polls in Ganderbal’s Baroosa village.Witnesses said that youth were arrested in the Gopalpora area of Kulgam ahead of the by-polls. After the arrests, the youth took to streets and started pelting stones, they said.They said that the forces also fired tear gas shells to disperse the aggrieved youth.Besides, the adequate deployment of forces was made in Budgam district and in other sensitive areas of Srinagar to maintain the law and order situation there.A senior police official told KNS that the situation in the valley remained under control and peaceful, barring few minor incidents of protests and stone pelting. (KNS)