Five more fall to bullets on Tuesday, taking the toll in fresh violence since Friday to 26; people defy curfew, take to streets.
Violence and arson showed no signs of let up in Kashmir Valley. Clashes between curfew-defying protesters and police for the fifth day on Tuesday left five more persons dead.
The toll in the past five days has climbed to 26.
There were reports that shoot-at-sight orders had been issued in curfew-bound Srinagar to control defiant crowds but the J&K government said these reports were not correct.
People defied curfew at several places, chanting pro-freedomslogans and offering prayers on roads. Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani was arrested before he could leave his hospital and lead a march to Eidgah.
Three people died in fresh firing on protestors in Srinagar and Kulgam districts, while an injured person from Khrew who was admitted in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on August 1 died of his wounds on Tuesday.
The violence started with a protest march at Barthana-Qamarwari this morning. A huge mob assembled and tried to lead a march, but they were stopped by security forces.
The forces used batons and fired smoke shells to disperse the people. As the marchers tried to continue, the forces opened fire. One of the bullets felled Mehraj-ud-din.
Later, protests broke out in Eidgah where security forces opened fire, killing another youth, Anees Ahmad. The killings triggered anger and thousands of people started defying curfew. Seeing a sea of people, security forces remained calm in a bid to avoid any clash.
“Mehraj was brought dead to hospital while Anees died of his wounds here. Three injured people were also admitted in hospital. Another injured was brought in the afternoon. His condition is very critical,” said Dr Waseem Qureshi, superintendent of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, said.
A youth Riyaz Ahmad, who was injured in the firing incident at Khrew on August 1 died in SKIMS on Tuesday. “Five more people were admitted with injuries on Tuesday. Their condition is stable,” SKIMS superintendent Dr Syed Amin Tabish said.
Another youth was killed when police opened fire at a mob which tried to set ablaze a police post at Frisal in Kulgam district. “A police post, houses of a special police officer (SPO) and other policemen were set on fire by mobs in Frisal Sherpora, Kulgam. When the mobs threatened to inflict more damage, security forces had to open fire in self-defence,” a police spokesman said.
The spokesman added stone pelting mobs defied curfew restrictions at many places in Srinagar, Budgam, Bandipora, Awantipora, Kulgam and Baramulla and indulged in heavy stone pelting on deployments. “The mobs attacked public and police properties at the number of places. Two migrant houses, old Naib Tehsildar office were set on fire in Bomie Sopore. The police post Bomie was also attacked”, he said.
The fresh killings have sparked anger among local politicians.Separatists and mainstream leaders are castigating the government for its iron-fist policy. “If the Centre is serious about restoring peace, it will have to replace the present government and impose Governor’s Rule,” Bhim Singh, chairman of Panthers Party of J&K, said.
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