Srinagar: Two civilians were killed and 40 people injured, including 30 policemen, as widespread clashes
between protesters and security forces erupted in the Kashmir
Valley on Saturday, as indefinite curfew was imposed on major towns
including Srinagar.
As the casuality in the violence since yesterday
rose to six, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah
again issued an appeal to the people to remain vigilant
against the sinister designs of "vested interests" against
peace.
Chairing a high-level meeting here, he also announced
formation of three ministerial teams for Baramulla, Anantnag
and Pulwama districts which will work with the citizen groups
for speedy restoration of peace in those areas.
The first casuality of the day took place at Naidkhai in
Sumbal area when hundreds of people gathered outside a Jammu
and Kashmir Armed Police`s battalion headquarters and tried to
ransack it and set it on fire besides snatching the weapons of
the personnel.
Repeated requests followed by cane-charging, teargas and
firing in area proved futile as the crowd turned hostile and
injured Superintendent of Police (Bandipore) Sheikh Junaid and
10 others.
Police were compelled to open fire in which one person
Muddasir Ahmed Lone received bullet injuries and later
succumbed to his wounds in hospital.
The second death took place in Baramulla area where a
youth -- Javed Ahmed -- was hit by a rubber bullet. He was
shifted to SKIMS where he died late this evening.
Barring Handwara, Ganderbal and Budgam, rest of the
valley remained under curfew.
Protestors clashed with police at various places in the
Valley and burnt the Special Operations Camp in Pattan in
North Kashmir besides ransacking the railway station at
Amargarh in Sopore. The protestors also burnt a fire tender
which had come to douse the flames.
Police and paramilitary forces staged a march in the
entire Srinagar city and requested people to remain indoors
and not to defy the curfew.
Five persons were injured when security forces fired at
protestors who 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, adding security forces
then opened fire to quell the mob.
Violence was also reported from Kakpora in Pulwama
district of South Kashmir where a Deputy Superintendent of
Police was injured besides another six police personnel.
PTI
