There was less movement of people and transport across Kashmir Friday as normal life remained affected due to the strike called by separatists.
The movement of people and transport is less today compared to the other days due to apprehensions of law and order problems after Friday congregational prayers, a police official said.
He said most of the shops, fuel stations and business establishments in Srinagar – the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir – were shut due to the strike, while public transport was comparatively less.
However, few of them were open in some areas in the civil lines as well as in the outskirts of the city here, the official said.
Few vendors had put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre, he said.
Reports of less traffic and most of the shops being closed were received from other district headquarters of the Valley, he said.
Except for the past weekend, Kashmir has witnessed shutdown for the last 140 days.
The separatists, who are spearheading the agitation since killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, have been issuing weekly protest programmes.
They have extended the strike till December 1, announcing two full days of relaxation on the weekend like the past week.
Meanwhile, Friday prayers were allowed in jamia masjid Srinagar after 19 weeks however, Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was not allowed to reach the historic worship place.
Sources said that a large number of people assembled in jamia situated in the old city area of Nowhatta after siege of the area was lifted.
Police used to seal the area to prevent people from reaching jamia on every Friday since the militant commander Burhan Wani was killed on July 8.
Chief cleric of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar was however not allowed to reach jamia masjid.
“Miwaiz sahib is continuously under detention and he was not allowed to move out,” media advisor to Mirwaiz and Hurriyat (M) spokesperson, Shahid ul Islam told Kashmir Post.
