The city witnessed clashes between government forces and protesters even as the curfew that was in place since July 9 violence, triggered by the rebel’s killing, was lifted on Thursday.
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Doctors at the main hospital in Srinagar said they have treated at least 50 people for injuries, majority caused by pellets, in the past three days.
Chanting “We want freedom”, the protesters demanded United Nations intervention to resolve the Kashmir dispute and an end to what they said were human rights abuses by security forces in the valley.
“Several Police vans entered our area and have raided a few houses looking for youth”, a caller from Noor Bagh area said, “this has created fear amongst the locals”.
Similar protests and clashes occurred near the city centre Lal Chowk – the main business hub of Srinagar. In the ensuing clashes between protesters and security forces, 47 persons, including two policemen, were killed and 5,500 others were injured.
Authorities lifted a curfew in most of parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir but shops and businesses remained shut due to a strike called to protest Indian rule in the Himalayan region.
The region erupted afresh on Friday with more protests at many places, police said.
The separatists asked the people to hold sit-in on roads on Saturday and offer the late afternoon and evening prayers together on roads.
Army soldiers fired at protesters in a village in northern Kupwara district, injuring at least three teenage boys who attacked their camp with stones and tried to barge into it, police said.
Security forces chased the stone throwers using tear gas and pellet guns. This could not be verified officially.
“There is curfew in entire south Kashmir and Srinagar, while restrictions have been imposed in north and central Kashmir”, a police official said.
Key separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik had called for the protest march to the main Jamia Masjid mosque on Friday.
Authorities have put Geelani and Mirwaiz Farooq under house arrest, and Malik in a police lockup to prevent them from leading the protest, police said.
Normal life remains paralised on the 21st consecutive day today across Kashmir. It is expected to remain so until the end of this month as the separatists extended their protest shutdown till July 31.
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Areas of southern Kashmir where most of the deadly street protests have been centered have remained under curfew after top rebel commander Burhan Wani was killed by government forces on July 8.
