Kashmir Valley observed a complete shutdown on Monday to protest against the continued civilian killings in the state.The joint Hurriyat leadership of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik called for the strike following a fresh spate of civilian killings after the Indian government called off suspension of operations announced for the month of Ramazan. They asserted that the government wants to create a “1990-like situation” here and the “killing of civilians has been approved as state policy as reign of terror has been unleashed on the ground”.The government has deployed a heavy contingent of armed forces in all sensitive places across the Valley and protests were reported from Sopore in northern Kashmir, Srinagar in central Kashmir and Kulgam of south Kashmir. In Kulgam, thousands of people participated in over 10 funerals of Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Shakoor Ahmad Dar, who was killed in an encounter on June 24 along with another Pakistani LeT operative.All educational institution and business establishments were closed and public transport remained off the roads. Examinations were postponed and rail services across the Valley were suspended. Mobile Internet was snapped in most parts of southern Kashmir.During the last week, four civilians were killed along with nine militants in different parts of the Valley.“Indian rulers have set forth their strategy and are looking for excuses to create a 1990-like situation in the state to justify the use of lethal weapons against unarmed and innocent youth,” said Geelani in a statement. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik also issued a statement asking “what can be more atrocious than playing politics on human blood and tragedy”.