70 injured in fresh Kashmir violence on SASB issue

{image-kashmir protest_28062008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Srinagar, Jun 28: About 70 people, including some senior separatist leaders, were injured when police fired in the air and resorted to lathicharge to disperse thousands of demonstrators, protesting against the transfer of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

Massive protests continued to rock the Kashmir valley for the sixth day today. Official sources said people at historic Lal Chowk and Budshah chowk led by several separatist leaders took to the streets in protest against the land transfer. However, when they were proceeding towards the Moulana Azad road, raising pro-freedom and anti-government slogans, police tried to stop them.

When the processionists insisted that they should be allowed to move forward, police resorted to lathicharge and also burst teargas shells to disperse them, but in vain.

Later, police fired several rounds in the air to disperse the crowd.

Sources said about 30 people, including separatist leaders, were injured in the police action.

Those injured included Abdul Ahad Parra, Firdous Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Dar and Yar Mohammad Khan of Hurriyat Conference. Senior Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Noor Mohammad Kalwal was also injured in the police action, they said.

Sources said police also fired teargas shells at different places in the city, including at Rawalpora and Jehangir chowk.

They said 20 people were injured in the incident.

A report from south Kashmir said police fired teargas shells to disperse demonstrators at different places in the south Kashmir district.

Similar protests were also received from other parts of the valley.

They said 20 were injured in these clashes. The injured included some security personnel, they added.

UNI