Valley shuts against ‘custodial killing of Rizwan’

SRINAGAR — Complete shutdown is being observed in Kashmir valley on Wednesday against the alleged custodial killing of Rizwan Ahmad, a teacher and a Jamat-e-Islami associate.

All the business establishments are closed, various schools are closed and traffic is off the roads. Reports reaching here said that shutdown is being observed in all the district headquarters in the Valley.

According to reports, heavy contingent of forces have been deployed in old city Srinagar to thwart any pro-freedom rallies and protests. While internet in various areas has been slowed down, it was suspended in district Anantnag yesterday evening.

District Magistrate Baramulla has ordered that class work shall remain suspended in all the educational institutions including colleges of the District today.

Rizwan Ahmad died in police custody after he was arrested for questioning in a militancy related case. Reports said that the family is associated with Jamaat-e-Islami and his father, Asadullah Pandit is a member of the organization. JeI has been declared unlawful and most of their leadership has been jailed.

Joint Resistance Leadership called for a shutdown against what they termed as ‘custodial killing of a teacher’.

Rizwan’s body was handed over to the family late last night and thousands participated in his last rites before he was laid to rest amid massive pro-freedom, pro-Islam and pro-Pakistan sloganeering.