Hurriyat says Centre’s trying to tarnish J-K freedom fight

Leaders of various separatist organisations fanned out across the Valley today to protest against the death sentence slapped on three Kashmiris accused in the Parliament attack case.

Accusing the Centre of seeking to tarnish the ‘‘freedom struggle in Kashmir’’ with terrorism charges, Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Omar Farooq said the conglomerate will plead the case of the trio at the international level. Shops, educational institutions and business establishments remained closed across the Valley for the second day today.

J-K Democratic Freedom Party leader Shabir Shah termed the death sentence ‘‘politically motivated with no consideration for justice’’. ‘‘We are consulting human rights activists to see what can be done,’’ said Shah.