EXPLAINER: Resistance leader’s death deepens Kashmir strife

By SHEIKH SAALIQ and KRUTIKA PATHI
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — The death of a top separatist leader in disputed Kashmir has sparked a crackdown on public movement and communications by Indian authorities and highlighting the turmoil seething just below the surface in the region. Syed Ali Geelani, was the face of Kashmiri resistance against India. His death is expected to deepen strife in Kashmir, a disputed region claimed by both India and Pakistan, two years after India revoked its semi-autonomy and declared it a federal territory by taking direct control of it. Geelani’s could also have a potential setback to the larger separatist movement in Kashmir, as his supporters may find it hard to find a successor with such towering popularity.