Curfew clamped in all major towns of Kashmir,protests continue

Srinagar, July 31 (PTI) Curfew was today clamped in all major towns of Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, as protestors torched a railway station and clashed with security forces, who opened fire leaving one person dead and over 25 others injured, including several policemen. Angry protestors clashed with police at various places in the Valley and burnt the Special operations Camp in Pattan in North Kashmir besides attempting to ransack the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police''s Batallion headquarter at Naidkhai in Sumbhal.

Police officials said a big group of stone pelters attacked the Batallion headquarters leaving SP Bandipore Sheikh Junaid injured besides several other policemen. While containing the unruly mob, one protestor died, a police spokesman said, adding one of the injured was stated to be in a critical condition.

Though police had earlier said that a teenager was killed in the firing by security forces in Pattan, they later clarified that she was in a serious condition and was being operated upon in SKIMS hospital at Soura. Police opened fire at various places to quell protestors which left at least 16 people injured.

In the wake of the protests that started yesterday leaving four persons dead, authorities imposed indefinite curfew in major towns of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Sopore, Ganderbal and Budgam. Police and para-military forces also 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 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, adding security forces then opened fire to quell the mob.

In Amargarh in Sopore, five persons were injured when protestors set afire a railway station. The protestors included the kin of those who were killed in clashes with security forces in the area yesterday.

Violence also broke out in Pampore, 16 kms from here, where locals attacked policemen. There was no report of any casualty in the incident A police spokesman said this morning that two of the 70 people, who were injured during protests yesterday 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.

Posted in: National News