SRINAGAR- Indian forces on Sunday cordoned off areas of Kashmir’s Islamabadand Shopian districts for conducting search operations. At least 17Kashimiri youths were killed and around 200 injured.

The Joint Resistance Leadership called for a two-day shutdown strike acrossthe territory commencing Monday after the brutal killings by the Indianforces.

Previously the Indian forces on March 24 had taken lives of two Kashimiriyouths in Dooru area of Indian Held Kashmir in similar search operations.The Indian forces in recent months have killed 19 Kashmiri men in variousencounters, including the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar AhmedButt.

Kashmir has been a lingering dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947;both the countries have fought one another in wars for Kashmir. The area isstill a disputed territory, with an ongoing fight by the Kashmiri peoplefor their freedom.