Violence Spreads in Kashmir Valley; Curfew Imposed in Sopore, Baramulla
As violence spreads to more places following the killing of youths in alleged CRPF firing, curfew has been imposed in Baramulla and seven police station areas of the city as situation remained tense in trouble Sopore, said media reports.
According to reports, extra contingents of police and paramilitary forces were deployed in curfew-bound Sopore and other areas to maintain calm.
Yesterday, two persons, one of them a 9-year-old boy died and 65 others, including 32 policemen, were injured in violent clashes in various parts of the valley. Of the deceased was a native of Baramulla.
Police said that curfew, which was restricted to Sopore since June 25, was extended to Baramulla as authorities apprehended trouble, reports said.
They said that after a separatist call for street protests, curfew was imposed in seven police station areas of old city this morning, reports said.
“To prevent people from coming on the roads, curfew has been imposed in the areas falling under police stations of Nowhatta, Khanyar, M R Gunj, Safakadal, Rainawari and Noorbagh in old city and Batmaloo in central Srinagar,” police was quoted as saying.
Government employees living in these areas alleged that they were not being allowed to go to offices even after showing their identity cards, said reports.
While hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by jailed leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has given a call for a two-day strike, the moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has asked people to come on streets to protest the killing of youths by security forces in Sopore and Baramulla.
People in Anantnag in south Kashmir also took out a procession in Mattan bus stand and protested the killing of five youths in Sopore and Baramulla towns in the last four days.
Police said that three persons were injured in the clashes with police and paramilitary forces, who fired tear gas shells and used lathis to disperse the agitators, reports said.
Clashes between protestors and security forces have claimed the lives of five persons since June 25 and eight in the last three weeks in the valley.
(Based on internet reports)
