Train services suspended in Kashmir

By Agencies - Published at: Jul 25, 2017

Srinagar, Jul 25: Train services were suspended for security reasons in Kashmir valley, where separatists have called for a general strike today in protest against detention of seven of its leaders by National Investigating Agency (NIA).

“We have suspended all train runs in the valley today due to security reasons,” a railway official told. He said train service from Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund to Banihal in Jammu region has been suspended since this morning.

Meanwhile, he said train service from Srinagar-Badgam to Baramulla in north Kashmir has also been suspended. He further said train runs were suspended, following a directive from the state administration and police.

Train service was suspended for about a week during this month due to strike calls and protests. Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) yesterday urged people to hold a complete shutdown today in protests against detention of the leaders by NIA.

Seven separatists, including hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah, were yesterday detained by NIA in connection with funding of militant activities and last year’s unrest in the valley.

Others who were detained, included senior hardline HC leader Peer Saifullah, National Front (NF) chairman and senior separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias 'Bitta Karate' and Mehrajuddin Kalwal. While Bitta Karate was arrested by the agency in New Delhi, the rest of the leaders were detained in this summer capital yesterday.