One dead as police fire at protesters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Narbal

One person was killed on Saturday in police firing at the protesters in Narbal in Jammu and Kashmir, TV channels reported.

Some parts of J&K are observing a shutdown on the call of Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Geelani has called the bandh over the killing of a youth from Tral in Pulwama and the arrest of Hurriyat leaders, including separatist Masarat Alam.

Violence had erupted on Friday after authorities denied permission to the hardline Hurriyat faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani to hold a march from Srinagar to Tral to protest the killing of a youth in an Army operation earlier this week.

Moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who led a march in Tral accused the army of killing youth after labelling him terrorist. “There is no arrest, no FIR. The government has to put an end to state terrorism,” he said.

Reports of stone-pelting were also received from Tral and adjoining areas.

On Friday, separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat was arrested on sedition charges from his home in Habba kadal area of the city, apparently after the Centre pushed for it.

As the Centre came under attack for the situation in the state ruled by PDP-BJP coalition, Union home minister Rajnath Singh asserted India’s unity and integrity were “inviolable” and “nobody will be allowed to break it”.

“Anybody found engaging in anti-national activities will not be spared or forgiven,” he told a press conference near Kanpur.