1 killed, 3 injured in firing by security forces in Kashmir

Kashmir continued to be on the boil on Friday with one more youth getting killed and three others being injured in firing by security forces in Kupwara district to disperse stone-pelting mobs who attacked an army camp.

The death of 18-year-old Arif Hussain Dar has taken the toll in the district to five since the breakout of protests against the alleged molestation bid of a girl in Handwara town Tuesday last.

A senior police officer said army troops opened fire to disperse a stone pelting mob in the Natnussa village of Kupwara district injuring four civilians who were evacuated to hospital for treatment.

With the latest casualty, the death toll has risen to five in the unrest that began on Tuesday following allegations of molestation of a girl in Handwara.

An army official said the forces opened fire only after the mobs tried to storm the camp.

"A group of protesters were pelting stones at the (army) camp but the soldiers exercised restraint. However, the situation started going out of hand as a large number of them tried to storm the camp from all directions," the official said.

The situation in the north Kashmir district has worsened following fresh casualties as more people are taking to streets against the killings.

Reports of protests were also received from parts of south Kashmir and Srinagar city but there were no casualties in these incidents, the official said.

In Sopore, a small group of 40 people indulged in stone-pelting after Friday prayers, a police official said.

In Tral town, the protestors pelted stones on a CRPF camp but they were chased away, the official said.

Incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Goriwan in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district as well, he added.

An official spokesman said the chief minister has expressed deep anguish over the "unfortunate death" of a youth at Natnusa in Kupwara district on Friday.

Sharing the grief of the victim s family over the inconsolable loss, Mehbooba said, "she is extremely distressed as the circle of violence has consumed yet-another life of a young boy. My heart goes out to the bereaved family of the boy who died in the prime of his youth."

The chief minister appealed to general public to remain vigilant and maintain calm to defeat the nefarious designs of those who want to disturb peace in the state.

Separatist groups including JKLF and Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tried to stage separate protest demonstrations against the killings in Srinagar but their attempts were scuttled by the police and several of their activists were detained.

Mirwaiz and chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani are under house detention while and JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik is in preventive custody.

Separatist groups including hardline Hurriyat Conference have called for a shutdown on Saturday to protest against the fresh deaths.

Kashmir University has announced postponing of all examinations scheduled for Saturday.

A spokesman of the varsity said fresh dates for these examinations would be notified later. 

With inputs from Mukhtar Ahmad.