Separatist shutdown affects life in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Indian-controlled Kashmir, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Life in Muslim majority areas of Indian-controlled Kashmir including Srinagar city, the summer capital was affected due to a separatist shutdown on Saturday.

The shutdown call was given by Hurriyat (freedom) Conference headed by Syed Ali Geelani to protest arrest of his close aide Masarat Alam Bhat under controversial public safety act (PSA).

Shops, businesses, educational institutions remained closed in wake of the shutdown call, while as attendance in government offices and banks remained affected to a large extent.

Public transport was off the roads, while private vehicles were seen plying at various places in the city and other districts.

Bhat was arrested last week and sent to seven days police remand for organizing an anti-India rally, and provoking supporters to hoist national flag of Pakistan during it.

However, on Thursday authorities booked him on charges of sedition and waging war against India under stringent PSA, and immediately shifted him to a jail in Jammu.

The PSA allows detention of a person for a minimum of six months period without trial.

Authorities had deployed contingents of government forces in full riot gears at sensitive places to disallow protests during the shutdown.

A police spokesman Saturday evening said no untoward incident was reported from anywhere across the restive region.

Bhat was released last month after four years of his detention under a series of PSA. His release triggered a controversy between federal government and local government.

Bhat rose into prominence for being on the forefront of 2010 anti-India protests in the region.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris. A separatist movement and guerrilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.