A dawn-to-dusk strike called to protest Monday's deadly bombing shut down India's portion of Kashmir. Almost all shops, schools and private offices were closed yesterday to protest the suicide attack that killed 15 people and wounded 60 others the day before. Major business districts were deserted. Government offices remained open but had much lower attendance than usual because public transport was off the roads. Police and troops went on high alert yesterday in Kashmir to forestall further violence. "We're on high alert to prevent such incidents," a police officer said. "We don't want to take chances. We want to save lives," he said. Troops in combat gear were out in force in the streets of Srinagar and other areas, frisking pedestrians and searching vehicles.
The bombing Monday struck a neighborhood near a security forces camp in Pulwama, a town south of Srinagar. Police blamed it on militants fighting for Kashmir's independence or merger with Pakistan. Three Indian security personnel died in the attack. The separatist leader who called the strike said he suspected Indian government agencies of plotting the bombing to derail peace efforts, and demanded an independent probe. "It seems to be part of a conspiracy, aimed at sabotaging the ongoing freedom movement," said Syed Ali Shah Geelani, head of the hard-line pro-Pakistan faction of Kashmir's main separatist alliance. Police detained Geelani along with three other separatist leaders and 40 followers yesterday after they set out for Pulwama to show sympathy for victims and their families.