2 killed, 23 hurt in Kashmir violence

Two persons were killed and 23 others, including 9 securitymen, were injured in violence on Friday in Kashmir which saw mobs defying curfew in many parts to indulge in stone-pelting, along with which a police station was attacked with a grenade and firing by suspected militants from amidst the crowd.

Due to trouble in Kashmir, the Amarnath yatra continued to be suspended for the second consecutive day, with no pilgrims being allowed from Jammu to move towards the valley.

Authorities had imposed curfew in all the 10 districts of Kashmir fearing trouble as it was the first Friday after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani.

However, mobs defied curfew at many places, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, Ganderbal, Rafiabad, Bandipora, Kulgam and Pulwama, a police official said.

In Drugmulla in Kupwara district, a mob targeted security forces who opened fire in response, resulting in injuries to three civilians, a police official said.

One of the injured, Mushtaq Ahmad Ganie, succumbed to injuries later, he said, adding another person died in Yaripora in Kulgam in south Kashmir. With these deaths, the toll in the current unrest has gone up to 38, including one policeman.

A patrol party of security forces was attacked by a mob with stones at Delina in Baramulla district this morning, injuring three security personnel, the official said.

In retaliation, security forces opened fire in which three civilians were injured. Condition of all the injured is stated to be stable, he added.

A youth was critically injured in firing by security forces on stone-pelting mobs at Manigam in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, the official said, adding the injured was undergoing surgery at SMHS hospital.

A mob indulged in stone-pelting in Sopore and in the retaliatory action, four persons sustained pellet injuries.

Two others were injured in clashes in nearby Pattan town, the official said.

Two other persons were injured in a similar incident in Shopian district town, he said.

Yaripora area saw a grenade attack followed by firing on a police station during stone-pelting, resulting in injuries to six police personnel, the official said.

"Someone from the mob hurled a grenade towards the police personnel during stone pelting on police station Yaripora. The grenade attack was followed by firing also," he said.

Police has been saying that militants merge with stone- pelters to carry out attacks on security personnel, using civilians as a shield.

Curfew had been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the valley where 37 people have died and over 3,100 others, including 1,500 securitymen, injured in the week-long clashes following Burhan's killing in an encounter in Kokernag.

The decision to impose curfew was taken in view of apprehensions that vested interests might exploit the large gatherings at Friday prayers to instigate violence, an official said.

Meanwhile, separatists today extended the shutdown call in Kashmir by two days till July 18.