03 June,2009 03:21 PM IST | | PTI
Tension prevailed in Kashmir Valley today as people defied restrictions and tried to take out demonstrations against the death of two women in Shopian following which police used teargas and batons to quell them.
Authorities deployed thousands of security personnel across Kashmir Valley as the strike called by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the death of two women under mysterious circumstances entered the third day today.
Groups of people took to streets at nearly a dozen places in the city including Koker Bazar, Batmaloo, Barzalla, Channapora, Bemina, Nowgam and Alikadal but were chased by police who used batons and teargas after the protestors turned violent and pelted stones, official sources said.
At Koker Bazar in the heart of the city, the protestors burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The sources said groups of people also took to streets at various places in Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara, Pulwama, Kulgam and Anantnag districts but were chased away by police.
Police and paramilitary personnel have been given strict instructions not to allow people to assemble or create law and order problem at any place, the sources said.
Life in the valley remained crippled due to the strict restrictions imposed by the authorities coupled with the strike called by the Hurriyat.
Government offices, educational institutions, banks, courts and semi-government institutions besides shops and business markets remained closed in the city and elsewhere in the valley for the third successive day today.
Both public and private transport also remained off the roads. A police spokesman denied reports that curfew has been imposed in any part of the valley.
"Curfew has not been imposed in any part of the valley but security forces have been instructed to implement prohibitory orders," the spokesman said. Reports from district towns said security forces and police are patrolling the deserted streets in Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Bandipora, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Pulwama, shopian and kulgam to maintain law and order.
Rejecting the probe ordered by the state government in the death of two women, Geelani had extended the strike called on Monday and asked people to hold peaceful protests.
Bodies of the two -- Nelofar (22) and Asiya (17) were recovered on Saturday after they went missing from their orchards in Shopian, sparking off massive protests in the town and adjoining areas for third day today.
The state government ordered a judicial inquiry into the double murder case on Monday.
