New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) announced a ‘bandh’ across the national capital on Friday to protest against the Pahalgam terror attack as trade organisations held a candle march Thursday at the Connaught Place here to express solidarity with the victims.

More than 100 markets are expected to remain shut in response to the call, the CTI said.

Twenty-six people were killed in cold blood on Tuesday afternoon when terrorists alighted from nearby forests onto a meadow frequented by tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and opened fire.

Wearing black armbands, members of the CTI and over 100 trade organisations registered their protest at Connaught Place on Thursday.

Traders from key markets in Kashmere Gate, Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Chawri Bazar, Bhagirath Place, Rajouri Garden and Sarojini Nagar participated in the march, a statement said.

CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said that the business community is deeply disturbed by the incident and stands united in condemning the attack.

There is widespread anger among the traders, said Rahul Adalkha, a vice president of the CTI.

The Khan Market Traders’ Association closed their shops early at 7.30 pm to take part in a candle march. They wore black ribbons on their heads and observed a moment of silence.

The markets supporting Friday’s shutdown include Sadar Bazar, Bhagirath Place, Gandhinagar, Naya Bazar, Khari Baoli, Chawri Bazar, Hindustan Mercantile (Chandni Chowk), Jama Masjid and Hauz Qazi, the statement said.

Various merchant associations from the cloth, spice, utensil and bullion markets will also take part in the ‘bandh’, it added.

CTI has urged the trading community to observe the shutdown peacefully and continue to stand in solidarity against acts of terrorism.

Political and trade groups and civil society organisations across the country have hit the streets to register their protest against civilian killings in Pahalgam.

One foreign national and a Jammu and Kashmir resident were among the 26 killed in Pahalgam, in the deadliest assault in the Kashmir Valley since the 2019 Pulwama attack. PTI SHB SKY SKY