After three consecutive days of shutdown, the Valley once again witnessed normalcy on Wednesday as the resistance camp called off the shutdown for today following the deferment of by-polls for Anantnag parliamentary seat.All the shops, business establishments, educational institutes and public transport began functioning normally following the three day long shutdown called by the resistance leadership against the by-polls for Srinagar parliamentary seat on Sunday, which they extended for more two days over the eight civilian killings on polling day in Budgam and Ganderbal district.
The Srinagar areas including the commercial hub Lal Chowk witnessed a huge rush of shoppers who thronged the markets to buy essentials. Pertinently, the resistance leadership including Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik had called for the shutdown today as well.However, they called off the strike after the Election Commission of India (ECI) postponed the Anantnag by-polls to May 25.It is worth to mention here that the re-polls for the 38 polling stations for Srinagar parliamentary seat will be held on Apr 13.Meanwhile, the train services continued to remain suspended for the third consecutive day today thereby leaving the passengers to suffer.Reports said that hundreds of passengers who had reported to the stations returned as they were told the operations of the train have been cancelled for the day. Pertinently, the service was suspended due to the shutdown called by the separatist leadership. (KNS)