Srinagar simmers; 1 killed in police firing

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: In fresh violence, a youth was killed and four others injured in CRPF firing at Safakadal area in Srinagar. A police vehicle was set afire by a mob in Rawalpora area of the city, sources said.

In Kishtwar in Jammu region, Army staged flag marches as security forces maintained a strict vigil in the curfew-bound town where two persons were killed and several others injured in communal clashes, police firing and a grenade blast on Tuesday.

Authorities on Thursday relaxed curfew for varying periods in six violence-hit districts of the Kashmir Valley to allow people to buy necessary household items, official sources said.

Besides Srinagar, curfew was relaxed in Ganderbal, Budgam, Kulgam, Anantnag and Kupwara districts till 8 p.m. Relaxation was given in Bandipora district for a few hours till 11 a.m.

Barring these two incidents, the earlier two relaxation periods - from 6 a.m to 11 a.m. which was later extended to three p.m. - passed off peacefully.

The death toll in firing by security forces has now gone up to 22 while more than 700 people, including police and paramilitary personnel, have been injured in clashes across the Valley since Monday.

The Valley has remained shut for almost 10 days due to strikes and curfews. People were seen on Thursday buying essential items like vegetables, grains and medicines.

The authorities clamped curfew in all the ten districts of Kashmir Valley on Tuesday for the first time in 13 years after protests over the "economic blockade" in the wake of the Amarnath land row turning violent.

The curfew was re-imposed at 10 p.m. on Wednesday night after protests over alleged high-handedness of the CRPF in various violence-hit areas.

A CRPF spokesman denied the charges that the force was crossing the limits of policing.

"There are some vested interests who want to create a misunderstanding between the people and the force. CRPF is a people-friendly force and is out there it maintain peace and law and order," CRPF spokesman P Tripathy said.

Meanwhile, truckloads of vegetables, grains and milk arrived in the city from villages as there was shortage of these essentials in the open market.

The state administration said thousands of trucks had arrived with essentials in the Valley, though traders disputed the claim.

Source : Times Of India