Kashmir remains on the edge as death toll rises to 23, over 300 injured

• Cop among those killed as mob pushes police vehicle into river

 Kashmir continues to be on the edge as the death toll of civilians killed in the firing of police and paramilitary CRPF reached 22 on Sunday while a policeman was killed after a mob pushed his mobile bunker vehicle into river Jhelum at Sangam in Anantnag district.

Over 300 have been injured in the clashes even as curfew-like restrictions paralyzed the life across Valley for second consecutive day while the mobile internet service and train services remained suspended.
The normal life in the Valley was hit for the second day by the strike called by separatists and curfew-like restrictions enforced by the authorities. Shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps remained shut while government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance. The public transport was completely off the roads, while cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at few places, where there were no restrictions.
The curfew-like restrictions remain in force in downtown Srinagar, parts of four districts of South Kashmir and North Kashmir.
However, people defied restrictions to hit the streets and stage anti-India demonstrations.
Massive protests erupted at Newa and Lassipora, Pulwama areas this morning after people in large numbers took to roads to protest the civilian killings at the hands of troops. The protestors clashed with the police and CRPF men, who were deployed in strength there. The cops fired tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse the stone pelting youth.
As the clashes continued, the cops fired live ammunition on the protestors. In the cops firing, three civilians were killed. The deceased were identified as Gulzar Pandith of Shopian, Muzaffar Hussain of Keegam Shopian and Irfan Malik of Warwan Pulwama.
A youth identified as Mashook Ahmad of Qund, was killed in clashes with police and CRPF men at Qazigund.
The clashes between protesting youth and cops were also reported from Main Town Shopian, Rajpora, Hall Pulwama, Litter, Tahab Pulwama, Tanchibagh Pampore, Damhal, Sangam, Zainapora, Qoimoh, Yaripora, Behibagh Kulgam, Vailoo, Warpora Sopore, Tikipora Sogam, Lalpora Kupwara, Kanyal Bagh Baramulla, Armpora Sopore, Tarzoo, Batamaloo, Qamriya Ganderbal, Soibugh Budgam, Mirgund, Sheikpora and many parts of Srinagar.
At Ashmuqam, a group of protesters attacked the residence of SDPO and latter set it on fire while as at Hassanpora Arwani area of Bijbehera, a group of youth attacked police camp and tried to set it ablaze.
At Lolab in Kupwara, a group of protesters set on fire a bunker of SOG Camp at Takipora.
Meanwhile, five persons who had sustained injures in cops firing yesterday and were admitted in hospitals, succumbed to injuries today. The deceased were identified as Imtiyaz Mandoo s/o Mohammad Shafi of Anantnag, Altaf Rather s/o Mohd Akbar of Rajpora Pulwama and Sajad Thokar s/o Abdul Rashid of Utrusoo Anantnag, Haseeb Ahmad Ganai s/o Abdul Majeed Batpora, Khanbal And Yasmeena d/o Abdul Rehman Residence of DH pora.
In the evening, cops fired on a youth Shabir Ahmad at Tengpora, Byepass Batamaloo. He sustained critical bullet injuries and was rushed to SKIMS Hospital Bemina, where he was declared brought dead.
Principal SKIMS Medical College Bemina Dr Reyaz Untoo told Rising Kashmir that youth from Tengpora was brought dead to the hospital this evening.
“He had bullet injuries in abdomen,” he said.
The residents of Tengpora alleged that cops fired on Shabir when he was coming out of his house.
It is the first civilian killing in Srinagar during the ongoing protests against slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani’s killing.
A police spokesman said protestors pushed a police vehicle along with the driver, Afroz Ahmad into the river Jhelum at Sangam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district resulting in death of the driver.
12 people had died in police and CRPF firing on protestors in South Kashmir yesterday. The 12 deceased were identified as Saqib Manzoor Mir of Khundru, Achabal; Khurshid Ahmed of Harwat, Kulgam; Safeer Ahmed Bhat of Sarigam; Adil Bashir of Dooru; Abdul Hameed Mouchi of Arwani; Danish Ayoub Shah of Achabal; Jehangir Ahmed Ganie of Hassanpora, Bijbehera; Azad Hussain of Shopian; Aijaz Ahmed Thokur of Siligam, Ashmuqam; Muhammad Ashraf Dar of Halpora, Kokernag; Showkat Ahmed Mir of Hassanpora, Bijbehra, and Zubair Ahmad of Kaimoh.
The top separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Ayaz Akbar, remained under house arrest. Many other separatist leaders have been detained.
The mobile internet services and train services in Kashmir remained suspended for the second consecutive day today.
POLICE SPEAKS
A police spokesman in the evening said situation in Valley remained under control though incidents of arson and mob attacks were reported.
He said a police vehicle and some seized vehicles were set on fire at Lasipora Pulwama when the mob attacked the police post.
“The mobs set on fire GRP Guard room and RPF Barrack at Bijbehara Railway Station, Police Post Damhal Khushipora. The mob also set on fire a single storied structure at Soibugh Budgam from where earlier Police Post Soibugh used to function,” the spokesman said.
He said an unruly mob attacked Fire Services vehicle which was on way to Sangam on a call near Bijbehara. “The vehicle was damaged in the said incident.”
The spokesman said it has been seen that in the garb of law and order situations, militants are firing and lobbing grenades on Police and CRPF personnel.
“Militants lobbed two grenades on CRPF deployed on law & order duties in Murran Chowk resulting in injuries to some CRPF personnel. In Shopian the vehicle of SP Shopian was fired upon and a grenade was also lobbed. Militants also fired upon the Police Post Uttressu,” he said.
He said number of police establishments and camps were also attacked during the day resulting in damage to the property and injuries to scores of Police and CRPF personnel.
EXAMS POSTPONED
Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation in the Valley.
“IUST has also postponed all the examinations scheduled for July 11 and 12. New dates will be notified separately,” an official of the University said.
“The Board of School Education (BOPE) has postponed the examination of Class 11 regular (term Ist) 2016,” a BOSE spokesman said.
He said a revised date sheet will be issued later on.
Amarnath yatra remains suspended
Amarnath yatra remained suspended for second consecutive day Sunday from Jammu in the wake of the violence following the killing of a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
“The yatra is suspended for the second consecutive day today from Jammu. No fresh batch of pilgrims has been sent from Jammu,” Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Simrandeep Singh, said.
The yatra was suspended from Jammu yesterday following violence after the killing of Burhan Wani.
1,18,747 pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine in the Kashmir Himalayas.
An official spokesman said 15,684 yatris paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave on the 8th day of the yatra.
“The yatra convoy did not proceed from Jammu for the two base camps today because of law and order considerations,” it said.

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