Srinagar: Normal life in north Kashmir's Baramulla district was disrupted on Wednesday in response to the strike call given by hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference against the alleged gunning down of one its activists by unidentified men.

Shops and other business establishments in almost all major towns of the district remained closed to protest the killing of Mohammad Altaf Sheikh, an activist of Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.

Sheikh, a pharmacist in the health department, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Bus Stand in Sopore yesterday. Following this, Geelani had claimed that Sheikh was an activist of his Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir outfit. He had blamed "secret intelligence agencies" for the murder and called for a general strike in Baramulla district against the incident.

"Secret intelligence agencies of the government are behind his (Sheikh's) killing, they want to instill fear among the people working for freedom of Kashmir," Geelani had said in a statement.

Public and private transport was affected by the strike in the district, officials said. They said, however, the situation in the district was by and large peaceful barring stray incidents of protests against the killing at a few places. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength especially in sensitive areas like Sopore and Pattan townships to maintain law and order, the officials said.