Uneasy calm prevails in Kashmir valley

SRINAGAR: An uneasy calm prevailed in the Kashmir valley today as toll mounted to six in the ongoing violence in the region where an indefinite curfew imposed on Sunday entered the third day.
    
Bashir Ahmad Bahar, who was injured in firing by security forces at Hajan in Bandipora district on Monday succumbed to injuries at a hospital here this morning, official sources said.
    
Four persons were killed and 80 injured in escalating violence in the Valley on Monday when security forces opened fire on curfew-defying protesters at several parts of the state. One person was killed when security forces opened fire in Dalgate area of the city on Sunday.
    
Police conducted raids at many places and picked up over ten second rung separatist leaders.
    
Though the authorities cracked down on protests led by separatist groups, the agitators openly defied the curfew at some places and clashed with police and paramilitary forces.
     
Top separatist leaders including chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and JKLF leader Mohammad Yaseen Malik were arrested on Sunday to prevent them from organising a march to Lal Chowk.
    
Curfew was clamped in all 10 districts of the Valley to prevent the march by separatists to Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar.