Violence rocks Kashmir

4 die in police firing as protesters defy curfew in Valley

SRINAGAR: Four people were killed and more than 70 injured as CRFP personnel opened fire to quell violent protests across the curfew-bound Kashmir Valley on Monday even as top Hurriyat and separatist leaders were arrested before they could lead a demonstration to Lal Chowk in Srinagar.

While Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were arrested on Sunday night, Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik, who tried to lead the march, was held on Monday morning.

Curfew was enforced strictly on Monday to foil the separatists call to march towards the Lal Chowk.

Police said some militants fired from the crowd in Safapora-Hajin (Bandipora), leaving four securitymen injured.

Protests started in Hajin area of north Kashmir where a large number of people took to the streets. CRPF men lobbed smoke shells and used batons to disperse the mob. But when it didn’t work, they opened fire, leaving 15 people injured. One of them succumbed to injuries later.

At Chontipora, one woman was reported to have been killed.

Violence spread to Narbal in the afternoon where one person was killed as security forces opened fire at the protesters defying curfew. A 23-year-old youth was killed in the firing at at Tahab-Pulwama in south Kashmir.

Sangharsh samiti also held protests in Jammu, where police resorted to cane-charge.