Curfew clamped in more areas of south Kashmir

To curb spread of violence, authorities today brought under curfew more areas in south Kashmir, where three youths were killed when CRPF allegedly opened fire during clashes with protestors.

With overnight protests in many areas of south Kashmir, curfew was clamped in Bijbehara, Pahalgam and Pulwama districts this morning. Curfew is also being strictly enforced in Sopore, Baramulla, Anantnag and seven police stations areas of Srinagar, police said.

Additional contingents of paramilitary and police units have been deployed to ensure effective enforcement of curfew, they said.

Although no fresh incident was reported from any area in the valley so far, police described the situation as tense. 

Three persons were killed and two others injured as CRPF personnel allegedly opened fire at a group of stone pelting protestors in Anantnag, 55 kms from here, yesterday.

However, locals alleged that CRPF personnel barged into houses and shops while chasing the stone pelting protestors and shot the victims from close range inside a house and a bakery shop.

While two persons died on the spot, the third succumbed on way to hospital, the police said. 

The protestors went on the rampage after the incident and set ablaze three ambulances, three state road transport corporation trucks and a police post resulting in injuries to 30 others including ten policemen.

With the killing of three more teenagers in Anantnag, the number of youths who have died in firing allegedly by security forces during the past six days has gone up to eight.

A total of 11 people have been killed in firing incidents involving security forces in the past three week.

Life continues to remained disrupted in Srinagar city and other parts of the valley in response to a strike called by separatists.

Shops and business markets, government offices and educational institutions were closed and transport was off the
roads, officials said.

While most of the leaders and activists of hardline faction of Hurriyat, including its chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have been arrested, the moderate faction of Hurriyat leaders have been placed under house arrest since June 28.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah last evening made an appeal for peace vowing to ensure return of normalcy soon and slammed anti-national and vested interests for instigating violence.

He also said that "wherever curfew has been imposed it will be enforced strictly. The cycle of violence has to stop".