Srinagar: Shops reopened and passenger vehicles on Saturday plied in Shopian district of south Kashmir for the first time in six days after the killing of six persons, four of them civilians, by army firing on Sunday evening.
Reports said that shops and other business establishments reopened and transport, both public as well as private, was seen on roads. The schools and colleges remained closed along with three neighbouring districts of Pulwama, Kulgam and Anantnag as per the orders of government.
The internet in the district remained closed to the annoyance and trouble to the student and business community for the sixth day now.
Four civilians and two militants were killed at Pahnoo Shopian on Sunday. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that civilians were caught in “crossfire” between militants and the army. The police said that it was still investigation even as army claimed that the four youth were accompanying the militants and were their accomplices. The army however is tight lipped about the violation or otherwise of Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) in ambush claimed to have been laid by it following the presence of the militants in the area. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who chaired a high level meeting after the incident, also stressed on need for strict adherence of the SOP even as official statement issued soon after the meeting, participated among others by top army officers, did not mention any violation of the SOP which required army to keep men from Jammu and Kashmir Police posted along with its personal at the checkpoint. (File picture for illustration purpose)
