Srinagar: Normal life across Kashmir valley remained paralysed on Friday in the backdrop of the shutdown call by separatists to “protest the landing of Indian Army in Valley on this day in 1947”. The separatist leaders had appealed people to observe October 27 as a “black day”.
The separatist leaders who were put under house arrest said, “It is an unfortunate day for the Kashmiris when we were deprived of our freedom and liberty”.
According to the KNS correspondent, the traffic was off the roads while streets in Srinagar and other major towns of the valley wore a deserted look. Educational institutes and business establishments were also closed. The railway services were also suspended as a precautionary measure.
The authorities had also imposed restrictions under section 144 of CrPC in areas under seven police stations of Srinagar city to thwart any protest by separatist leaders. Heavy deployment of forces was deployed in most sensitive areas.
Separatist leaders said that on October 27, 1947, Indian army “illegally landed in Srinagar” with a promise to leave soon after situation normalised. “The landing of Indian Army in Kashmir was unjustified. Indian forces continue to illegally occupy Kashmir for over 70 years now,” a statement issued by Joint Resistance Leadership reads.
However, the official handle of the Indian army tweeted: “70th #Infantryday, On this day in 1947, 1st SIKH REGT landed in Srinagar to evict Pak intruders from Kashmir and reversed the tide of battle.”
Senior superintendent of police of Baramulla Imtiyaz Hussain tweeted: “Tribesmen from Pakistan looted, raped, vandalised all that came their way from Muzaffarabad to Baramulla. Thanks @adgpi (Indian army) they were repulsed.”
