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2 killed in protests against J&K land transfer
By Mukhtar Ahmed in Srinagar
June 26, 2008

Two persons were killed on Wednesday and 50 others, including six security men, injured across Kashmir as violence, public protests spilled over to most major and minor towns of the valley.

Paramilitary central reserve police force (CRPF) opened fire to disperse an unruly mob in old city Fateh Kadal area, critically injuring Sameer Ahmad who later died in the hospital.

Thousands of people carried Sameer's body through the old city shouting anti-government slogans.

High tension has gripped summer capital, where protestors again indulged in stone pelting on security forces late this evening.

In another incident, a class XII student identified as Farooq Ahmad Rather was killed, when police opened fire at a mob protesting against land allotment to SASB (Sri Amarnath Shrine Board)

at Mazhama village on the Srinagar Gulmarg road.

As the body of the slain student reached his village, hundreds of protestors marched with it, shouting slogans against the government and the SASB.

The villagers blocked the Srinagar Gulmarg road and authorities were trying to pursue the villagers to bury the body.

A senior police officer admitted the protests spread to other districts, but added "adequate reinforcements of police and paramilitary have been rushed there to deal with the developing situation".

Mukhtar Ahmed in Srinagar
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