Shops, government offices, banks and schools closed Wednesday across the Himalayan state of Kashmir as part of a general strike called to condemn a rebel group for beheading a Western hostage.
An Indian official said the Al-Faran separatists contacted Indian negotiators again Wednesday, indicating that they have not carried out their threat to kill their remaining captives - an American from Spokane, Wash., and three Europeans.The decapitated body of a Norwegian hostage was found Sunday with a note from Al-Faran threatening to kill the others unless India released 15 of their jailed comrades by Tuesday.
"In the absence of any adverse report, we presume the four hostages are still safe," Kulbushan Jandial, director of information in Jammu-Kashmir state, said. He declined to give details on the contacts or say whether the rebels had extended their deadline.
He also refused to comment on news reports that India was offering to trade some imprisoned militants for the safe release of the hostages, but not the guerrilla commanders that the kidnappers had demanded.
A coalition of 32 pro-rebel political or religious groups called the strike to protest Al-Faran's actions. The All-Party Freedom Movement has repeatedly condemned Al-Faran, a group that no one in Kashmir had heard of until it claimed responsibility for last month's kidnappings.
Businesses in cities and villages around the state were closed.