Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 20: A complete spontaneous shutdown was observed in Narbal area in the outskirts of Srinagar here amid clashes and protests against the killing of a boy two days ago in police firing.
Sofi was shot dead by a policeman after a stone-throwing incident took place in the area last week. The incident sparked-off violent clashes in the area.
All the shops and commercial establishments were closed in the area. There were minor stone-pelting incidents in the evening. Authorities had deployed additional forces in the area to prevent any escalation.
The chairmen of two factions of Hurriyat Conference and that of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) today shared a platform in Narbal to express sympathies with the family of Suhail Sofi.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who heads his own faction of Hurriyat Conference, was first to reach to Narbal where he met the family of Suhail Ahmad Sofi and expressed his heartfelt condolences with them. It was followed by JKLF chairman Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Mirwaiz and Geelani were under house arrest but were released by the authorities and allowed to meet the family Suhail.