At least 11 civilians were killed in Kashmir valley after protests against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Muzaffar Wani turned violent on Saturday. Hundreds of protesters were injured during day-long clashes with police and paramilitary personnel.
Police and CRPF men opened fire at several places to quell protests and disperse the protesting youth.
A police spokesman identified eight slain youth as Amir Bashir Khan of Veerinag, Dooru; Saqib Manzoor Mir of Khundroo Achabal; Aijaz Ahmad Thakur of Siligam Ashmuqam; Mohammed Asif Dar of Halpora Kokernag; Showkat Ahmad of Hassanpora Arwani Bijbehara; Mohammad Safer Bhat of Cherigam Pahalgam; Bilal Ahmad Shah of Wagoor Dooru and Shah Danish of Achabal. Late in the evening, a senior police official confirmed the death of another youth identified as Azad of Pulwama.
District Hospital Anantnag confirmed death of four civilians. “We have so far had four casualties and more than 60 people have been injured. The figures are only of people who made it to our hospital,” Medical Superintendent of Anantnag district Hospital, Dr Majid Mirab told Rising Kashmir.
At least 50 civilians were injured in Tral town alone. Casualties in other parts of south Kashmir could not be checked for confirmation in the wake of the communication gag imposed by the authorities. The number of injured was likely to swell as reports of police firing continued to trickle in.
Clashes erupted Saturday morning in almost every part of south Kashmir region, particularly in Anantnag district. People in Anantnag town defied curfew and marched towards Lal Chowk area.
Protestors fought pitched battles with forces deployed across Anantnag town. Clashes were reported from Verinag area where protestors attacked a CRPF camp and were fired upon injuring at least half a dozen of them. In Kulgam clashes were reported from main town, Khodweni, Redweni, Kulpora and many other parts. In Pampore the police and paramilitary personnel reportedly entered the Sub-District hospital where patients as well as attendants were thrashed. Some of the attendants were then used as human shields against stone pelting youth, sources from Pampore told Rising Kashmir.
In Anantnag CRPF men attacked ambulances carrying injured persons to the hospital. The panes of the ambulances were smashed and the paramedics were thrashed.
Meanwhile, 70 people injured in firing incidents across Kashmir valley were admitted to SMHS hospital and SKIMS, Soura with 10 of them said to be in critical condition.
Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital, Dr Nazir Choudhary told Rising Kashmir that two civilians from Pulwama and Anantnag died in the hospital. “We have admitted over 50 injured persons from different areas especially South Kashmir districts so far and most of them have received fire arm injuries on vital organs,” he said.
According to Dr Choudhary, two of them, a young boy Azad from Pulwama and other unknown youth from Anantnag, succumbed to injuries.
“Azad has a serious vascular injury while Anantnag youth died of serious head injury,” the MS said. He said nearly seven civilians are in critical condition.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, Dr Farooq A Jan said they had admitted nearly 19 injured patients with three of them in critical state.
“One of the injured persons succumbed at the hospital due to head injury,” he said, adding that other injured are stable. He identified the slain youth as Daanish of Achabal.
