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No let-up in Kashmir violence

Mobile phone internet and call operations remained suspended in parts of the valley.

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State government spokesman and Education Minister Nayeem Akhtar said the measures were aimed at saving lives and strengthening peace efforts.

He urged Pakistan to raise human rights violations in Kashmir at the global level to “expose India”.

More than 40 people have died in recent clashes in the occupied area while more than 1,500 others have also been injured in fighting between protesters and the security forces.

Almost 2,000 people have been inujured in clashes between demonstrators and police since July 9, according to figures released Friday by the Jammu-Kashmir government. Shops and businesses remained shut even as at some places, grocers had partially opened their shops in the morning.

The state of Indian-held Kashmir has already imposed a curfew to stop people from gathering in the streets and stage more protests over last week’s killing of a popular leader Burhan Wani.

Witnesses said that forces fired pellets on protesters at Rainawari in old city.

While all telephone services to three north Kashmir districts were snapped yesterday, mobile telephone services in the Valley remained suspended to prevent any rumour-mongering.

Sources said that in order to contain a violent mob that had attacked it, the army had to resort to firing, injuring four people and out of that two succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

The fresh curbs come as the local newspapers failed to hit the stands for the second day after authorities raided the printing presses of media houses on Friday night.

Earlier, Kashmir woke up to a morning-without-newspapers on Sunday after Mehbooba Mufti government officially banned the publication of several English and Urdu dailies in a bid to enforce the information blockade. Indian forces deployed in Kashmir now routinely use pellet guns to stymie roadside demonstrations.

Newspaper editors denounced the government action and termed it “gagging and enforcing emergency on media”.

With the situation in Jammu and Kashmir continuing to simmer on the tense side, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has sent a two-member team to the Valley to see the ground reality and take stock of the situation. They said in a statement they also supported Pakistan’s call to observe a “black day” on July 19 against the killings. “I can assure you that in this age of globalisation and where we have Internet and electronic means of communication, there is no way of imposing a ban now”, he said.

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Referring to the demands for “plebiscite”, he ruled it out, saying it is “outdated” and people of Kashmir are being “misguided” on this issue.

Media Locked Down As One More Dies In Kashmir Violence