Clashes broke out in south Kashmir’s Shopian district this morning with protesters setting ablaze a mini-secretariat building while curfew remained clamped in parts of Srinagar on a day the all-party delegation was here on a two-day visit aimed at restoring peace in the Valley.
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A prolonged curfew, communication blackouts and a tightening crackdown have failed to stop some of the largest protests against Indian rule in recent years, triggered by a rebel commander’s killing on July 8. Reports about rallies and forceful anti-India protests are coming from other areas as well. “Security forces have been deployed in strength in sensitive areas to maintain law and order”, the official said.
Yesterday, protesters in the neighbouring Kulgam district burnt a house of the ruling PDP’s block president Gulzar Ahmad.
He said curfew-like restrictions on the movement of people were in place in the rest of the Valley. While the delegation met mainstream political parties and other civil society members, the separatist groups refused to talk to them. “Curfew has been imposed in seven police station areas of Srinagar city today”, a police official said.
Normal life remained affected due to the separatist sponsored strike as educational institutions and private offices were closed while public transport continued to be off the roads.
In Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, at least 25 people were hurt in the clashes during the day, the official said. Fearing trouble following separatist call to occupy Srinagar-Airport road and Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital today, authorities continued strict curfew restrictions in the downtown and SeK besides at Batmaloo and Maisuma.
Some of the Muslim opposition leaders within the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir who want independence from India have asked people to support the extended shut down program till September 8.
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Forces used heavy tear smoke shells and indiscriminate pellets on the protesters injuring over 100 people, many of them critically.
