Srinagar:
Normal life was disrupted in Kashmir Valley due to a strike called by separatists to protest against the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.
Separatists groups including both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a general strike.
Shops, business establishments, educational institutions, banks and private offices remained closed due to the strike.
The security measures have been heightened after the attack by militants yesterday that left eight soldiers dead and several others injured in Srinagar.
Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel have been deployed in numbers across the city while in some places army is also conducting foot patrols to prevent the militants from carrying out any further attacks during the high profile visit.
The security forces have erected barriers after every kilometer to check the antecedents of people and to regulate the movement of the vehicles.
Chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani asked the people to observe a complete strike to remind the centre and the world that Kashmir is a "dispute pending a resolution".
Moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq also called for a general strike alleging that the Centre is treating Kashmir as an economic issue rather than a political one.
"The people of Kashmir are being compelled to take route of protests and strikes as Indian leadership, instead of addressing Kashmir politically, is trying to look at the issue through the prism of economic packages which is unwise and negative politics," Mr Farooq said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front headed by Yasin Malik said the Prime Minister has "failed" in his peace process which proved only an "illusion".