Big protest strike in Kashmir

Security forces say Abdul Hamid died in a clash

By Altaf Hussain in Srinagar

Normal life in Indian-administered Kashmir has been paralysed by a general strike after the alleged killing in custody of a leading moderate separatist.

If militants who believe in... dialogue are eliminated, who will the government talk to?

People's Democratic Party statement

Abdul Hamid Tantray, known as "Commander Masood", died on Tuesday in what the authorities say was a clash with a special police task force in the southern district of Pulwama.

He was deputy commander-in-chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group.

The strike - called by the main separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) - closed shops in most parts of the Kashmir Valley as well as schools and many government offices.

Traffic has also ceased.

The Hurriyat and the Hizbul Mujahideen say Abdul Hamid was killed in a fake encounter 12 hours after his arrest.

Talks initiative

The news of Abdul Hamid's killing was received with disbelief by many people because he played a major role in a peace initiative in July last year when Hizbul Mujahideen declared a ceasefire.

Although the supreme commander of the group, Sayed Salahuddin, ended the ceasefire after the Indian Government's refusal to involve Pakistan in talks on Kashmir, Commander Masood continued to pursue his moderate aims.

A pro-India political party, the People's Democratic Party or PDP, which is headed by India's former home minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayed, has also condemned his killing.

Mr Sayed's daughter and PDP vice-president, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, visited Abdul Hamid's residence and offered condolences to the bereaved family.

She has accused the state chief minister, Farooq Abdullah, of eliminating moderate secessionist leaders who believe in peace and dialogue so that he can hold onto power.