Curfew imposed in Srinagar, HC leader among 6 killed 150 injured

Srinagar, Aug 11 (UNI) An indefinite curfew was imposed this afternoon in the summer capital, Srinagar, and its adjoining areas following widespread violence that left six people, including senior Hurriyat Conference (HC) leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz dead and more than 150 others wounded.

The injured included about two dozen security force and police personnel, official sources said.

Meanwhile, chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Confernce Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and two former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ministers are under house arrest.

Sources told UNI that curfew has been imposed in the entire city this afternoon.

This decision was taken after widespread violence and demonstrations in different parts of the valley today.

Official sources said curfew would be imposed in other district and tehsil headquarters as a precautionary measures.

Security forces and police opened fire, burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse processionists who were trying to join the Muzaffarabad March at different places in the Kashmir valley today, resulting in the death of six persons and injuries to more than 150 others, including about 24 security personnel.

The Muzaffarabad March call was given by both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) as the Kashmir Fruit Growers Association (KFGA) has said they will take their fruit trucks to Pakistan occupied Kashmir through Jhelum Valley road in protest against the economic blockade and attacks on Kashmiri truck drivers in Jammu.

The HC has now appealed to people to continue march tomorrow also.

A report from Baramulla said about five thousand people today took out a procession from Sopore mandi in protest against authorities refusal to grant them permission to join the Muzaffarabad march.

The processionists, also joined by truck drivers and conductors were raising slogans against the alleged economic blockade and attack on Muslims and Kashmiri drivers and others in Jammu.

Security forces and police burst teargas shells and resorted to repeated lathicharge to disperse the processionists who were pelting stones after they were stopped to move towards the main road.

Later the processionsts continued their march and crossed all the barricades erected by the police at different places on Sopore- Baramulla road.

At Baramulla the processionists led by Shabir Ahmad Shah and Sheikh Abdul Aziz were joined by thousands of people. However, when the processionists in trucks and other vehicles covered few kms from Baramulla towards Uri, security forces and police opened fire.

Sheikh Aziz, chairman of the Peoples League (PL) and 10 others received bullet wounds.

State secretary of the Communist Party of India (M) Mohammad Yousuf Targami has strongly condemned the killing of Mr Sheikh and use of excessive force by the police and security forces on processionists.

The injured were immediately rushed to hospital where Sheikh was declared brought dead in the SMHS hospital. Three more injured also succumbed, they said adding Shabir Shah was arrested few km short of Uri.

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