Kupwara Protests, Firing, Kashmir Toll Rises to 39

SRINAGAR: A teenage boy was killed and three civilian protesters were injured when forces opened fire to disperse a protest in north Kashmir's Kupwara Friday, taking the toll of deceased in the ongoing unrest to 39.

According to police, Mushtaq Ahmed Ganie was killed and three others injured when forces opened fired on protesters at Drugmulla village of Kupwara in north Kashmir on Friday.

Anticipating protests, authorities have imposed strict curfew in Kashmir Valley with even the cellular phone networks, except BSNL, terminated last night in the view of simmering unrest, bringing normal life to a grinding halt.

However, fresh clashes were reported from parts of the Valley with the ongoing Amarnath yatra suspended on second day Friday for security reasons. The national highway, the only surface link of the Valley with the rest of the world, is closed too.

Anti-India and pro-freedom protests spread to Chenab region of Jammu and Kashmir where a complete shutdown was observed in Kishtwar district while as angry protesters clashed with forces in Poonch district.

In the summer capital Srinagar, authorities sealed the historic Jamia Masjid where moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq delivers Friday sermon even as clashes broke out in the area between protesters and government forces.

A group of protesters set ablaze the personal vehicle of a Jammu and Kashmir police constable in Parimpora on the city's outskirts. The constable is reported to have escaped unhurt from the incident.

At one of the largest, Dargah mosque, in Hazratbal area of the capital, which was made out of bounds for worshippers outside the locality, the imam condemned the civilian killings by security forces just before the start of Friday sermon. Later, the worshippers prayed for 38 youths who have died in the ongoing unrest.

Protests were also reported from other parts of the city, including the restive downtown where angry youths clashed with forces. Due to communication blockade and strict curfew, there are no reports of any injury or casualty so far.

In north Kashmir's Pattan area, two siblings suffered injuries when forces opened fire to disperse a protest march against the killing of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, in an encounter last week.

Early morning, five people were injured when police opened fire on protesters in Khaitangen area of Baramulla district. Around 10 am when protests broke out at Khaitengan village, police fired on the protests in which five persons were injured.

Four of those injured were shifted to a hospital in Srinagar after receiving first aid at the District Hospital Baramulla where their condition is reported to be stable.

Four injured persons from Sopore area were brought to SMHS hospital here on Friday afternoon, witnesses said. They said injured had sustained pellet injuries and the condition of one among the injured is critical.

Clashes were also reported in four districts of south Kashmir including Pulwama, the hometown of Burhan, Kulgam, Anantnag and Shopian. However, the details of the clashes could not be verified due to the communication embargo.

According to reports, two attendants of a patient were allegedly assaulted by forces in a south Kashmir district when they were on way to SKIMS in Srinagar. The family members reported that their patient was referred to SKIMS Soura for advanced treatment when the forces stopped them and later carried out an assault on them.

(Cover Photo By Saqib Majeed)