SRINAGAR: A separatist protester in Indian-administered Kashmir was killed and several others wounded Monday when security forces opened fire to disperse a violent demonstration, police said.
Security forces fired when protesters tried to demolish a paramilitary bunker near Sopore town, about 50 kilometres north of Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar, a police officer who declined to be named told AFP.
“They fired in self-defence,” he said, adding that a 22-year-old Muslim man was killed and three others injured.
Sopore has been under curfew since Friday after two young men died when soldiers opened fire as protesters attacked their vehicle.
Streets in Kashmir were deserted for the third day on Monday in response to a strike called to protest the deaths.
Protesters shouted “Go India go back, we want freedom”.
Kashmir’s hard-line separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and dozens of separatists have been arrested and moderate Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was placed under house arrest to prevent further demonstrations, a police official said.
He said schools and colleges had been closed for two days.
Violence has risen in recent months in Muslim-majority Indian-administered Kashmir, where two decades of rebellion against rule from New Delhi have left thousands dead.
Analysts warn that if the government fails to check the growing protests and deaths, they could weaken government efforts to reach out to moderate separatists and the strife-torn region could slide into a fresh phase of armed uprising.
Authorities have closed all schools and colleges in the Kashmir valley for two days in an attempt to thwart the escalating public unrest.
Separatist groups had called on Muslim students to hold protest rallies on Monday and Tuesday against Indian rule.
“They fired in self-defence,” he said, adding that a 22-year-old Muslim man was killed and three others injured.
Sopore has been under curfew since Friday after two young men died when soldiers opened fire as protesters attacked their vehicle.
Streets in Kashmir were deserted for the third day on Monday in response to a strike called to protest the deaths.
Protesters shouted “Go India go back, we want freedom”.
Kashmir’s hard-line separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and dozens of separatists have been arrested and moderate Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was placed under house arrest to prevent further demonstrations, a police official said.
He said schools and colleges had been closed for two days.
Violence has risen in recent months in Muslim-majority Indian-administered Kashmir, where two decades of rebellion against rule from New Delhi have left thousands dead.
Analysts warn that if the government fails to check the growing protests and deaths, they could weaken government efforts to reach out to moderate separatists and the strife-torn region could slide into a fresh phase of armed uprising.
Authorities have closed all schools and colleges in the Kashmir valley for two days in an attempt to thwart the escalating public unrest.
Separatist groups had called on Muslim students to hold protest rallies on Monday and Tuesday against Indian rule.
Source: Agencies
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