Strife-torn Kashmir is on the boil after three civilians were allegedly killed by the security forces in the last 24 hours in south and central regions of the Valley.
The killings come at a time when the security forces are engaged in a fierce gunfight with a group of top Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, including wanted Junaid Matoo in Arwani village of south Kashmir's Kulgam district.
Clashes hit Arwani village after people tried to march to the encounter site to rescue the holed up militants on Friday morning. Shouting pro-azadi and pro-militant slogans, the youth pelted stones at security forces and tried to break the cordon to reach the encounter site.
Security forces lobbed smoke shells and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. Security forces later opened fire, in which a youth identified as Mohammad Ashraf was killed.
Later in the day, the situation again turned ugly when a teenager was killed after security forces allegedly opened fire on a the stone-pelting mob, which was making a desperate attempt to reach the encounter site to help militants flee from the spot. The deceased has been identified as Ehsan Dar.
This is the third civilian who was killed in the firing in the last 24 hours. A civilian was killed when security forces opened fire on a mob which pelted stones at their cavalcade at Rangerth in the outskirts of Srinagar late Thursday evening. Naseer Ahmad received gunshot wounds and was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries late in the night.
"Bloodshed will not lead to a solution. It is a murder of humanity," said Dr SP Vaid, Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said violence and innocent killings will lead the state to bloodletting, destruction and uncertainty rather than paving the way for any peaceful solution.
"I have warned against the dangerous consequences of violence time and again. I appeal to civil society to rise to the occasion and make the future of J&K's youth peaceful," said Mufti.
Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar said they are ready to face any challenges in the Valley.
"We face different kinds of challenges on the law and order and militancy fronts. We are well trained, prepared and motivated to meet challenges," said Bhatnagar.
The civilian killings have given fresh ammunition to the separatists to stir passions in the valley. The Joint Resistance Leadership have called for a hartal against the killings on Saturday.
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