Violence escalates in Srinagar, Army called out

The Army was deployed Tuesday late night in Srinagar and indefinite curfew imposed as fresh violence erupted in Kashmir Valley, claiming four lives and leaving over 70 injured after days of calm.

Fayaz Ahmad Wani was killed when security personnel allegedly opened fire at a stone-pelting mob protesting the death of a man who he fell into a drain during a demonstration in Batmaloo area of the city last night.

A 25-year-old woman identified as Fancy was killed by a stray bullet in the same area when security forces fired in air to disperse a mob which attacked a police building after torching a welfare centre in the same premises, police said.
Indefinite curfew was clamped in the city after the latest spell of violence.

The Army called out on the streets of Srinagar late night to enforce the curfew keeping in view the non-availability of adequate number of police personnel many of whom have been deployed for Amarnath Yatra and counter-insurgency operations, official sources said.

In the evening, Abrar Khan, 18, was killed while 20-year-old Owais Ahmad was seriously injured when police fired to disperse protesters in Maisuma in the heart of Srinagar city after they defied curfew orders, police said.

Besides Srinagar, violence also took place in Baramulla, Pampore in Pulwama and parts of curfew-bound Anantnag leaving 25 injured including an assistant sub-inspector who was hit by a stone on his head at Mattan chowk in Anantnag. Police said the mobs also pelted stones on police stations at Pattan and Pampore.

The policemen fired in air to scare away the protesters.

Police resorted to firing to disperse several thousand mourners carrying the body of Fancy who was killed in Batmaloo, after teargas shelling and baton charge proved ineffective.

The protesters were marching towards Lal Chowk when they were stopped by police at Magermal bagh leading to clashes between the two sides, the sources said adding some of the protesters set ablaze a nearby barrack of Indian Reserve Police (IRP) besides damaging the window panes of the house of National Conference MLA Irfan Shah.

Some ammunition stored in the barrack was destroyed in the fire. Protesters clashed with security forces in various places including Khanyar, Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal, Barzulla, Fateh Kadal, Braripora, Tatoo Ground, Hyderpora, Baghat, Rambagh, Jehangir Chowk, Maisuma, and Habbakadal, resulting in injuries to 45 people.

The protests had begun in the area late last night when a group of men started throwing stones at a security contingent.