India: Shutdown strike in Jammu and Kashmir region August 5-6 /update 1

Event

To protest new legislation guaranteeing special constitutional rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, several Kashmiri groups, including the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), have imposed a shutdown strike (general strike) in the Jammu and Kashmir region August 5-6. As of Monday, August 6, shops and business offices are closed, roads empty, and train services suspended. To prevent unrest and violence, additional security forces have been deployed, notably in the city of Srinagar, the region’s summer capital.

Context

Protests have been held across Kashmir over the past week, notably by two regional political parties in support of legislation barring non-locals from acquiring immovable property, getting jobs, benefiting from government programs, and voting.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas are advised to closely monitor developments to the situation and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities. As a reminder, some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to parts of Kashmir, notably areas along the Line of Control (LoC), due to the significant risk of violence.