The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday affected a major reshuffle in the state police by shifting 14 senior police officers from their places of posting.
Notable in Monday's reshuffle is the shifting of Kashmir inspector general of police, S M Sahai and his replacement by Dr. B Srinivas, who was IG operations (north Kashmir range).
Sahai's shifting comes in the wake of unstoppable protests and police protestor clashes which have over a period of nearly one month claimed 36 lives besides injuries to over 600 others. Sahai has been shifted as IG (crime and railways)
Last month the inspector general of paramilitary, central reserve police force was given marching orders, following complaints of excessive use of force while quelling protests and violence in Srinagar and other towns.
People have been alleging use of excessive force to control mobs in Srinagar recently.
Meanwhile a complete shut down crippled normal life across Kashmir on Monday.
The strike has been called by the separatist coordination committee to protest Monday's election commission meeting in New Delhi with leaders of various political parties on the conduct of early polls in the state and against the killing of a youth in police firing in Srinagar.
Shops are shut and traffic is off the roads in capital Srinagar and other towns. A government spokesman said six persons were injured, two of them received bullet injuries, when police opened fire, shelled tear smoke and used batons to disperse stone pelting mobs at Safakadal, in old city.
The guards of a senior doctor opened fire in the Sekidafar area of old city Srinagar today, when a mob attacked with stones the car in which Dr. Sheikh Jalal was travelling.
Police also used tear smoke and batons to disperse violent stone throwing mobs at Nowhatta, Chotta Bazzar, Daresh Kadal and Nowhatta in old city and in Anantnag and Baramulla towns.
