Srinagar, May 6: Train service was suspended on Sunday for security reasons in the Kashmir valley, where separatists have called for a general strike on Sunday in protest against the killing of a youth after he was ran over by a bullet proof bunker vehicle of state police during demonstrations in the downtown on Saturday.
“We have again suspended train service in the Kashmir valley following fresh directive from police”, a railway official said.
Therefore, he said, all train runs between Srinagar-Badgam and Baramlla in north Kashmir have been suspended today.
Similarly no train will chug on Badgam-Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region, he said.
“We are acting on the advice of police since the safety and security of passengers and railway staff was top priority of the department”, he said adding in the past railway suffered huge loss after coaches and railway station and lighting system were damaged in stone pelting during demonstrations.
This is the second time train service was suspended in the valley for security reasons. On May first all trains were suspended for similar reasons.
Last month the service was suspended for nine times fully or partially for security reasons. Trains go off tracks when there is any strike call by separatists or encounter between militants and security forces in the valley. Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) , comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik have called for a general strike today in protest against the death of a youth after he was ran over by a police vehicle in down town, where people hit the streets near an encounter site at Chattabal. However, police has registered a case and assured action against the driver of the vehicle after the incident was posted on Facebook and other social networking sites.
However, the train service has become very popular as it is being considered safe, fast and cheap against other mode of transport. UNI
