Protests rock J-K over Ramban killings, 40 hurt

Protests against the killing of four people in firing by Border Security Force personnel erupted across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday during which 40 people including 19 security personnel were injured in clashes, stone-pelting and cane-charge.

As tensions ran high in the state, authorities clamped curfew in all major towns of Kashmir and halted the Amarnath yatra from Jammu with no fresh batch of pilgrims being allowed to proceed to the Valley. Curfew remained in force in Ramban district in Jammu region where the killings took place on Thursday.

BSF troops on Friday vacated its Dharam camp where violent protests were witnessed yesterday and were moved to Battalion area in Ramban district. The camp has been handed over to the state police, a BSF officer said.

In the valley, 17 security personnel and five civilians were injured while two policemen and 16 civilians were wounded in Jammu region. Three first information reports were also registered against both BSF and the state police in connection with Thursday’s violence on complaints from the public.

The police said the situation is now under control. In the Jammu region, the police resorted to cane-charge on protestors, who turned violent and attacked some vehicles and some shops in Doda town. The protestors resorted to stone-pelting in Bhawerwah town after Friday prayers.

Havaldar Satesh Kumar suffered a serious injury when a protestor threw a bottle at him and was hospitalised. Official sources said two youth were injured when security forces opened fire while chasing stone-pelting protestors in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir.

A large group of people took to streets after Friday prayers at Kurhama village of Ganderbal, 21 km from Srinagar, to protest against the killings in BSF firing. The police resorted to pellet gun firing and teargas shelling to disperse the protestors who turned violent and resorted to stone-pelting.

As the situation worsened, the security forces resorted to aerial firing to restore law and order, the sources said, adding two persons were injured. The two were admitted to Soura Medical institute in Srinagar.

Clashes between protestors and security forces were reported from several other parts of the valley including interior Srinagar. Hurriyat has called for a three-day shutdown in the valley.