Strike call derails life in Srinagar

Normal life was affected in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday following a strike call given by the breakaway faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

A majority of the residents chose to stay indoors due to heavy deployment of security forces for the Republic Day and very few vehicles, barring those of security forces and VIPS, were seen on the roads.

Geelani had called for a strike to protest what he termed as "usurping of right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir by India."

Tight security arrangements were in place for the R-Day celebrations at the Bakshi Stadium, the main venue of the celebrations in the Valley.

The area around the stadium and Lal Chowk was sealed off since Sunday night as security forces took positions at vantage points.