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Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 15: Two persons were killed and 23 others, including 9 securitymen, were injured during violence today in Kashmir which saw mobs defying curfew in many parts to indulge in stone-pelting.
Authorities had imposed curfew in all the 10 districts of Kashmir fearing trouble as it was the first Friday after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani.
However, mobs defied curfew at many places, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, Ganderbal, Rafiabad, Bandipora, Kulgam and Pulwama, a police official said.
In Drugmulla in Kupwara district, a mob targeted security forces who opened fire in response, resulting in injuries to three civilians, a police official said.
One of the injured, Mushtaq Ahmad Ganie, succumbed to injuries later, he said, adding another person Sayyar Ahmad died in Yaripora at Kulgam in south Kashmir. With these deaths, the toll in the current unrest has gone up to 39, including one policeman.
A patrol party of security forces was attacked by a mob with stones at Delina in Baramulla district this morning, injuring three security personnel, the official said.
In retaliation, security forces opened fire in which three civilians were injured. Condition of all the injured is stated to be stable, he added.
A youth was critically injured in firing by security forces on stone-pelting mobs at Manigam in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, the official said, adding the injured was undergoing surgery at SMHS hospital.
A mob indulged in stone-pelting in Sopore and in the retaliatory action, four persons sustained pellet injuries.
Two others were injured in clashes in nearby Pattan town, the official said.
Two other persons were injured in a similar incident in Shopian district town, he said.
Curfew had been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the valley where 39 people have died and over 3100 others, including 1500 securitymen, injured in the week-long clashes following Burhan’s killing in an encounter in Kokernag.
The decision to impose curfew was taken in view of apprehensions that vested interests might exploit the large gatherings at Friday prayers to instigate violence, an official said.
Government today announced to continue curfew like restrictions across Kashmir valley for tomorrow after separatists called for strike and fresh protests.
According to official sources curfew shall continue in Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and Pulwama districts tomorrow. The DC Pulwama Muneer-ul-Islam said restrictions under Section 144 CrPC shall remain in force in all police stations of district Pulwama tomorrow from 4 am to 11 pm. He said that four or more persons shall not be allowed to assemble with intention to stage demonstrations, protests or indulge in sloganeering, rioting etc during the imposition of Section-144.
The curfew was announced soon after the separatists called for three day strike and protests in Kashmir over the killings of protesters. A joint statement issued by Hurriyat Conference leaders, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, said that they have extended protests and complete shutdown for next 72 hours starting from Saturday morning till Monday evening.
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