Two youths were killed and several injured in clashes between the security forces and protesters on Saturday in south Kashmir as fresh stone-pelting protests erupted in the valley, which has remained shut for the 64th day.
Security forces fired tear gas canisters and cane charged dozens of protesters who marched in a south Kashmir village, defying Section 144 of CrPC which restricts the assembly of four or more people in the area.
Sayar Ahmed Sheikh, 25, was hit by a tear smoke shell in the head and the other youth, who was identified as 23-year-old Yawar Ahmed, died of pellet injuries.
With this, the death toll rose to 78 in the ongoing turmoil that has rocked the Kashmir Valley since the 8 July killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Over 12,000 civilians and security personnel have been injured since the unrest began a day after Wani’s killing.
Abdullah Questions Mehbooba’s Priorities
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday questioned current CM Mehbooba Mufti’s priorities and asked was she “joking” around at a time when the state has been observing a separatist-called shutdown for over two months.
On Saturday, curfew continued at many places in the valley to foil separatist-called protest rallies. But people in at least a dozen places took out rallies, shouting anti-government and pro-freedom slogans.
Omar Abdullah on Friday also questioned why the centre was imposing section 144 during Eid Namaz.
Army Chief General Dalbir Singh is presently on a two-day visit to the Kashmir Valley. The sources report that the chief’s visit has been timed with the decision taken by the central government that without getting directly involved in crowd control, the army should help the civil administration re-establish authority in the valley, more so in south Kashmir.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)
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