Srinagar: Four persons were on Friday killed and 35 others injured as fresh violence hit Kashmir Valley during a separatist sponsored strike.
Authorities clamped curfew in Pattan, Baramulla, Handwara and Kupwara towns but relaxed restrictions in downtown Srinagar to enable people to offer prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid coinciding with the first Friday of the holy month of Ramazan.
Chief of the moderate Hurriyat faction Mirwaiz Umer Farooq addressed the congregation at the mosque before leading a march to nearby Mirwaiz Manzil at Rajouri Kadal.
Police said Arif Ahmad Mir and Samir Ahmad Lone of Logripora were killed and two others seriously injured when CRPF personnel opened fire after a mob tried to storm its camp at Bomai in Sopore town, 55 kms from here, in Baramulla district shortly after Friday prayers.
The injured Ramez Ahmad Lone and Shakir Ahmd Ganai were admitted in hospital and their condition was stated to be "critical".
Muddasar Ahmad Zargar (23) was killed and two others injured when police opened fire to disperse a mob at Kralpora-Trehgam, 150 kms from here, in Kupwara district. Raising slogans, protesters took out a procession in the frontier town this morning and clashed with security forces when they asked them to disperse, police said. The injured, one of whom was identified as 50-year-old Janaat Begum, have been admitted to a local hospital.
Another person identified as Ali Mohammad (65) was killed and 13 others were injured when security forces opened fire and burst teargas shells in Pattan area of Baramulla district, police said.
Four persons were injured when security forces opened fire on a stone-pelting mob at Nowhatta in downtown Srinagar in the afternoon, the police said. Nowhatta, along with over a dozen places in downtown city, witnessed clashes intermittently throughout the day. Groups of youths indulged in stone-pelting on security forces this morning but as the day advanced and people were allowed to offer prayers the mobs dispersed. However, they returned and indulged in stone-pelting soon after the rally led by the Mirwaiz dispersed peacefully. Incidents of violence were also reported from Mattan Chowk and Bijbehara in Anantnag district, Chadoora in Budgam and Baramulla district town resulting in minor injuries to about 20 persons, official sources said.
The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani had called for a shutdown and protests after Friday prayers in the Valley to press for withdrawal of troops from the state. Normal life in the Valley was disrupted as shops, business establishments, educational institutions and private offices remained closed and transport remained off the roads. PTI
