Fresh killings take death toll to 35 and counting, PM & CM appeals for calm

• One more succumbs, toll is 35
• Firing on protesters in Kupwara; Bijbehara youth succumbs
• Youth clash with police, CRPF men across Valley
• Cleric, who led funeral prayer of Mufti Sayeed, not allowed to lead Jinaza of Bijbehara youth
• Life remains crippled for day 4; Separatists remain caged

With one more injured succumbing in the hospital, the death toll in the violence that erupted across Kashmir last SAturday has gone up to 35.
Police sources told Kashmir Post that one Javed Ahmad from South Kashmir had been injured in a firing incident two days back. He succumbed to injuries in SKIMS Soura this morning, the sources said taking the death toll to 35.
Meanwhile a lady was injured when police opened fire to disperse a mob in Ahrabal area of Kulgam district late last evening.
The situation in Kashmir continues to be on the edge as two more youth were killed in fresh firing by cops in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district while a youth from Bijbehara succumbed to injuries in the hospital on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 34 in four days of clashes after Hizb commander Burhan Wani’s death.
People staged anti-government demonstration at Kralpora, Kupwara today to protest against the civilian killings. Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protestors were demanding action against the cops and force personnel involved in the civilian killings.
The youth clashed with the cops, who were deployed in the area. They also pelted stones on armoured vehicle of police. The cops restored to tear gas shelling and fired on the protestors, causing injuries to 12 of them.
The injured were rushed to hospital, where two of the critically injured succumbed to injuries.
One of the deceased was identified as Ishfaq Ahmad of Batapora, Sopore.
A police spokesman confirmed killing of one protester.
He said the mob attacked the Police Station at Kralapora, Kupwara and set on fire a police vehicle in which cops got trapped.
“While dealing with the incident, one person was injured who later on succumbed to injuries,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old student of Delhi University (DU) Aamir Nazir Lattoo, who was injured in police firing in Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s home town Bijbehara yesterday, succumbed to injuries in SMHS hospital today.
A commerce student at DU’s Zakir Hussain PG Evening College, Aamir alongwith two other youth was shot by cops yesterday afternoon in Zirpora area of Bijbehara town, in Anantnag district.
The trio was taken to SMHS hospital, Srinagar, where Aamir died at 3 am today.
According to family of Aamir, he was shot at when a group of youth hooted at a police party.
“He was not even a part of the group. He was just a by stander,” they said.
The, police, however maintained three of them were injured after militants opened fire in the area.
Aamir was buried today at martyr’s graveyard in New Colony area of Bijbehara, where hundreds of people participated in his funeral amidst chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Some heated exchanges were witnessed at his funeral after a local cleric, who had led funeral prayers of former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, was not allowed to lead the funeral prayers.
“He led the funeral prayers of Mufti Sayeed. How could we allow him to lead the funeral of our beloved martyr?” the angry youth told Kashmir Post.
“You either belong to this side or that. Time has come to draw a line,” they said.
After Aamir’s burial, clashes erupted in the town. Police used tear smoke shells, bullets and pellet guns to disperse the protesting youth.
One youth identified as Nisar Ahmad Mir sustained grievous injuries after being hit by a tear smoke shell.
Police, however, claimed that Mir picked up a tear smoke canister while he was participating in stone throwing and it exploded in his hand.
With three more deaths today, the death toll of people killed in four days of clashes in the Valley after Burhan Wani’s killing has risen to 34. One among them is a policeman, who was killed after his vehicle was pushed to river Jehlum by a mob in Sangam, Anantnag.
Curfew continued to remain in force across four district of South Kashmir and other parts of Valley.
The youth, however, defied restrictions and fought pitched battles with police and para military forces in almost every district of the Valley.
The youth clashed with cops in many parts of Srinagar including Bulbull Bagh Barzulla, Nowgam, Amira Kadal, Noorbagh, Eidghah, Chanpora bypass, safa Kadal, Karan Nagar, Tankipora, Batmaloo, Qamarwari and Dowtown, Shalimar, Habak, Hazratbal, Nowhatta, Maisuma and many other areas.
The cops fired tear-gas and pepper gas shells to disperse the youth, who pelted stones on them amidst chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Pro-Burhan Wani slogans like ‘Burhan our hero”, “Burhan still in our hearts” and “Freedom state of war, we want azaadi”, “Burhan still alive,” were written on walls and shutters of shops in Lal Chowk, Amira Kadal and in old Srinagar areas.
After the images of the written slogans were widely publicized on social media, the police swung into action and started to clean them.
The cops fired many teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesters, who tried marching towards a CRPF camp at Hardupanzoo near Beerwah in central Kashmir’s Budgam district this afternoon.
Intense clashes between the force personnel and protesters continued in area for some time.
Protesters also blocked many important road links by erecting blockades in the form of tyres, electric poles etc.
In North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, situation continued to remain tense as stone pelting incidents were reported from the area.
SP Baramulla Mir Imtiyaz said stone pelting took place in Baramulla, Pattan and Sopore.
“Restrictions under 144 of Crpc have been imposed in the area. We brought the situation under control after chasing the stone pelters, he said.
In the meantime, unidentified gunmen fired on a police patrol in north Kashmir’s Sopore area today.
SP Sopore Harmeet Singh told Kashmir Post that the area remained tense as stone pelting incidents were reported from Warpora, Main chowk and Potkhah.
He said militants attacked the police party near Warpora and fled away.
“No one was injured in the attack and we did not retaliate to avoid civilian casualties,” Singh said.
All business establishments, government offices, shops and petrol pumps continued to remain shut for 4th consecutive day in the Valley.
The mobile internet service remained suspended in Valley while cell phone services also remained suspended in Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Kupwara and Sopore.
Railway services in the Valley also remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day today.
According to reports from Northern Railways, the tracks and other property of Railways have been damaged and it will take two days for them to restore the rail traffic after normalcy is restored.
All top separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and others either continue to remain under house arrest or placed under detention.
According to police, curfew will continue to be in force in parts of Srinagar, Budgam, Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Bandipora towns tomorrow.
According to District Magistrate Pulwama, Muneer-ul-Islam, strict curfew will remain imposed in municipal limits of Pulwama, Pampore, Rajpora and Tahab tomorrow.
“In rest of the areas of the district Section 144 will remain imposed and no gathering of the people will be allowed,” he said.
He said all the Food & Supplies outlets will remain open in the district tomorrow to ensure supply of rations to the people.
“The government employees of the district, especially those working in essential services, have been asked to report for duties tomorrow,” added Munneer.
Police Version
A police spokesman said situation in the Valley remained under control today though some incidents of arson and mob attacks were reported.
He said the stray and intermittent incidents of stone pelting were reported from Tral, Nowdal, Gadbugh, Batnag, Chindrigam, Shopian, Memander, Frisal, Yaripora, Ruhama, Rajpora, Newa Bijbehara, Goriwan, Exchange road Beerwa, Main Chowk Sopore, Warpora, Khanpora bridge, Baramulla, Langate Trehgam, Popchan and Bandipora.
“The mob set ablaze a police guard room at Gadbugh, a minority picket guard room at Batnag, Tral, and a guard room of P/P Ruhama in Pulwama. Miscreants lobbed a petrol bomb on CRPF and Police Party deployed at Gachi Mohalla near Cement Bridge Safa Kadal, Srinagar,” the spokesman said.