Kashmir situation still tense, mob tries to storm Army camp in Bandipora district; more forces rushed

Srinagar: A mob tried to storm an Army camp on Sunday in Bandipora district, shattering the day-long fragile peace in curfew-bound Kashmir even as the Centre rushed about two thousand additional CRPF personnel to shore up security in the Valley where violence since July 9 has claimed 39 lives.

Protesters attacked the army camp at Ajas in Bandipora district, forcing the security forces to open fire. Three persons were injured in the incident, police said.

Earlier, MLA Bandipora Usman Abdul Majid had claimed that one person was killed and three others were injured in the clash.

Curfew was in force for the third consecutive day while normal life remained paralysed in the wake of deadly clashes that have rocked the Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani nine days ago, leaving 39 dead and over 3,160 injured.

Two persons were also injured in security forces action when a mob pelted stones in Eidgah area of the city.

The fresh violence came even as the situation in curfew-bound Kashmir was by and large peaceful during the day.

After restricting mobile telephone services, authorities have now snapped the landline connections to curb the violent protests.

"All 10 districts of Kashmir Valley continue to remain under curfew today as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order," a police official said.

He said the decision to continue the curfew was taken to maintain law and order as one person was killed in fresh violence in Kupwara district yesterday.

Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said.

Official said that a total of 20 fresh companies (100 personnel in each) are being rushed to the Valley which will be in addition to 2,800 Central Reserve Police Force personnel which were sent to assist the state police last week.

"Some of the fresh units will exclusively render the task of road opening parties in order to secure the movement of security forces convoys," a senior official said.

About 60 battalions (about 1,000 in personnel each) are already stationed in the state as part of counter-insurgency grid.

A youth suffered pellet injury during a protest this evening in Rainawari area here.

While landline telephone connections in three north Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara were snapped yesterday, the inter-exchange calls for all landline connections in the Valley were snapped.

Customers are not able to make calls to any phone outside their district.

While mobile telephony, except BSNL mobiles, is suspended across Kashmir for the past eight days, the broadband internet services have been curtailed across the Valley.

No police or civil administration official was willing to reply to queries related to restrictions on telephone services. However, government sources said the step has been taken to contain the violent protests.

"The protests and mob attacks are being mobilised using telephones. Very reluctantly we have decided to take this step in order to prevent any further loss of life or property," a government source said.

Mobile Internet services continued to remain suspended for the seventh day today while trains are also off the tracks in the Valley as a precautionary measure.

The fresh curbs come as the local newspapers failed to hit stand for the second day after authorities raided the printing presses of media houses on Friday night.

The state government today also extended the summer vacations for schools and colleges in the Valley by another week.

The educational institutions, which were scheduled to reopen tomorrow after 17-day break, will now reopen on July 25.

Violent protests have rocked Kashmir since July 9 following killing of Burhan Wani and two of his associated in an encounter with security forces a day earlier in Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

In the ensuing clashes with security forces, 39 persons including a cop have been killed while 3164 persons including 1500 security force personnel have been injured.

The separatists groups - both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF - have been issuing strike calls, a practice reminiscent of 2010 summer agitation.

The separatists groups have extended the strike call till Monday evening.