SRINAGAR, May 21: An annual strike in Indian-held Kashmir shuttered shops and businesses on Monday to mark a top Muslim cleric’s assassination 22 years ago, but police blocked a planned protest rally in the disputed region.

The cleric, Mirwaiz Mohammed Farooq, had argued for Kashmir’s right to vote on whether it should be independent or governed either by India or Pakistan.

Since Mirwaiz Farooq was fatally shot in 1990, Kashmiri Muslims have blamed Indian agencies for the killing and held a protest march each year. They planned for Monday’s rally also to honour another freedom seeking leader gunned down after the same march in 2002.

Authorities, meanwhile, have blamed militants for both killings, and investigations into the attacks have never been made public.

Police blocked Monday’s rally over security concerns, laying razor wire across streets in the main city of Srinagar where people had planned to march. Instead, police and paramilitary patrolled and restricted people’s movement.     Public transportation was suspended, though some private cars were on the roads. Officials imposed house arrest on a handful of leaders, including Mr Farooq’s son, chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.—AP