Srinagar: Violence gripped parts of Kashmir Valley today as protestors attacked a CRPF patrol party, tried to set a railway station on fire and clashed with security forces who fired to quell the mob, leaving a teenager dead and over 10 others injured. With the death of the teenager, a total of five persons have been killed since the fresh outbreak of violence on Friday.
In the wake of the protests, authorities imposed indefinite curfew in major towns of the Kashmir Valley. Seventeen-year old girl Gulshana was killed when security forces fired at protestors, who went on a rampage and attacked a CRPF patrol which was enforcing curfew in Kreeri in Pattan, police said.
The security forces made several attempts to disperse the crowd but it turned more violent and tried to snatch the rifles of the CRPF jawans, they said.
Security forces then opened fire in which four persons were injured. Five more persons were injured when protestors tried to set a railway station on fire at Amargarh in Sopore, 55 kms from Srinagar.
Violence also broke out in Pampore, 16 kms from Srinagar, where locals attacked policemen. There was no report of any casualty in the incident. A police spokesman said on Saturday morning that two of the 70 people, who were injured during protests on Friday succumbed to injuries at a hospital.
The deceased have been identified as Mohammed Rafiq and 30-year-old Mohammed Siddiqui of Baramulla district.
Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in all sensitive areas and the residents have been asked not to step out.
Curfew passes given to media persons have been cancelled, police said. This is the second time this month that curfew passes have been cancelled. On July six, curfew passes were cancelled when the army was deployed in the city.
Security forces on Friday opened fire to quell stone-pelting protesters who clashed with them at several places.
Shoukat Ahmad Chopan and Mohammad Ahsan Ganai were killed and seven others injured yesterday when security forces opened fire on a mob at Arampora village of Sopore, 55 kms from here in Baramulla district of north Kashmir.
People had on Friday taken to the streets shortly after Friday prayers and were heading towards Sopore town when the security forces intercepted them and asked them to disperse.
However, the protesters turned violent and indulged in stone-pelting on a CRPF picket. The security personnel opened fire, resulting in injuries to seven persons who were rushed to hospital.
Chopan and Ganai succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital in Srinagar, they said.
Seven persons were also injured when police opened fire after a group of youths went on rampage and set ablaze a vehicle parked inside police station Pattan, 27 kms from Srinagar on Srinagar-Baramulla national highway, police said.
The clashes come nearly 10 days after a person was killed and another injured in police firing in self-defence on a mob which turned violent during funeral of youth who had drowned in Jhelum river in Baramulla district.
Condemning the killings, Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Friday that such incidents were contributing to an "unprecedented worsening of situation".
PDP general secretary Mohammad Dilawar Mir, in a statement in Srinagar, accused the state administration of failing to perform its duty.
The state unit of CPI(M) also expressed grief and shock over the killings.
Comments
0 comment