In solidarity and pain, Kashmir observes complete Bandh against Pahalgam carnage

Srinagar/Jammu: A complete shutdown was observed across the Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu today as thousands mourned the killing of 26 civilians in a gruesome attack on tourists in Pahalgam on Sunday. The bandh call, which had no central organiser but emerged from a groundswell of public anger, received wide support from major trade bodies, civil society groups, transporters, political parties, and religious leaders across Kashmir.

In Srinagar, all major markets including Lal Chowk, Residency Road, and the commercial hubs of Batamaloo, Karan Nagar, and Rajbagh remained shuttered. Public transport was off the roads, and attendance in government offices and schools was visibly low.

South Kashmir, particularly Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian, witnessed a near-total shutdown. Local traders’ federations in Anantnag and Pahalgam said the bandh was “a mark of collective grief and protest” against the targeting of innocent civilians, most of whom were tourists and local service providers.

In North Kashmir, Sopore, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora towns observed a complete shutdown. Protests were reported in several areas with demonstrators carrying placards reading “Pahalgam Massacre – Never Again” and “Stop killing civilians.”

In Jammu, the bandh is reported to be  more pronounced in the districts of Doda, Poonch, and Rajouri, with shops and private institutions remaining closed. Jammu city also saw a partial shutdown with transporters and several shopkeepers observing a hartal in solidarity.

Among the organisations that supported the bandh were the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers’ Federation, JK Hoteliers Club, Beopar Mandal Jammu, Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), All J&K Transport Welfare Association, CCIK, J&K Private Schools Association and the Jammu Hotels & Lodges Association. Several private schools and colleges also voluntarily suspended classes for the day.

Political support came from across the ideological divide.

Former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) condemned the killings while Ms Mufti had backed the public call for a bandh. The People’s Conference, Awami Ittehad Party, and Apni Party also expressed solidarity with the victims and demanded a judicial probe.

Even leaders from the BJP’s Jammu unit, while stopping short of endorsing the bandh, called the incident “unforgivable” and urged authorities to “ensure security and justice.” Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir and CPM’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami attended a joint candlelight vigil in Anantnag last evening, where a crowd of over 2,000 people gathered in silence.

Meanwhile, civil society activists and student unions held peaceful protests in several university campuses including Kashmir University and Central University of Jammu.

Security was tight across the UT, but no major incidents of violence were reported.