Train service suspended in Kashmir for security reasons

Srinagar, May 1: Train service was again suspended on Tuesday for security reasons in the Kashmir valley, where separatists have called for a general strike today in protest against the killing of a youth in security force action on demonstrators, who hit the streets near encounter site at Pulwama in which two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants were killed yesterday.
We have again suspended all train runs in the Kashmir valley today, a senior railway official told UNI.
He said a fresh advisory was received from police to suspend train service in the valley today for security reasons as last month window panes of a number of coaches were damaged in stone pelting on Srinagar-Baramulla track.
Therefore, he said, no train will chug on Srinagar-Badgam in central Kashmir to Baramulla in north. Similarly no train will chug on Badgam-Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region. Train service on this track was suspended since yesterday afternoon after the killing of two HM militants in Pulwama in an encounter with security forces.
Joint Resistance Alliance (JRA), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, has called for strike today against the Pulwama killings.
Last month train service was suspended for 8 times partially or fully in the valley. During 2017 train remained suspended over 50 times in the valley for security reasons.
Train service has become very popular in the valley as it is being considered cheap, safe and fast against other mode of transport.
During the 2016 train service was suspended for about six months due to summer unrest.
UNI