Two killed, 25 injured in fresh Kashmir violence

At least two civilians were killed and over 45 injured in fresh firing by the police and paramilitary forces in the Shopian and Anantnag districts of south Kashmir today as fresh violence broke out after the government lifter a 62-day-old curfew in all parts of the valley.

With today's toll, the number of dead in the ongoing street violence in Kashmir has risen to 77.

Paramilitary soldiers tried to stop protesters from marching to a village in Shopian district. But the protesters were throwing stones at security forces, compelling them to resort to firing teargas shells.

Sayar Ahmad Sheikh, 26, died when the security forces fired tear gas shells and pellets on protesters at Tukroo village in Shopian in an attempt to disperse them. He was taken to a hospital in Rajpora where he was declared brought dead, a police official told reporters.

In another incident, a 25-year-old man died from pellet injuries in Anantnag district following clashes between police and protesters.

A prolonged curfew, communication blackouts and a tightening crackdown have failed to stop the protests triggered by a rebel commander's killing on 8 July. Since then, thousands of supporters of separatists have been defying security restrictions, staging protests and clashing with government forces on a daily basis.

While "Curfew has been lifted from entire Kashmir," as reported in the media earlier, police officials said curfew-like restrictions would remain imposed in some areas of Srinagar like Nowhatta, MR Gunj and Khanyar. Restrictions on gatherings of people would remain throughout the Valley, he added.

The Zonal Police Headquarters in Srinagar said in a statement on Friday that the situation in the Valley mostly remained under control.