Kashmir unrest: Three more protesters killed in Bandipora

Srinagar, Aug 12 : Three protesters were killed and five injured this morning in police firing at Bandipora, about 65 kms from here, even as curfew continued for the second day in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar District.

The Kashmir Valley continues to be restive following a senior Hurriyat Conference leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz's death in police firing on Monday during a protest march moving towards Muzaffarabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) over the Amarnath land row.

The latest round of violence comes, as Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will convene a second all-party meeting on Wednesday on the issue.

After failing to reach consensus on Monday, an 18-party delegation led by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil is meeting in Delhi today to attempt to resolve the issue. After the meeting, Patil is expected to apprise the Prime Minister about the deliberations.

Meanwhile, the Army has been kept on standby in the Kashmir Valley as the situation is tense. Curfew was first imposed in Srinagar, but later clamped across the entire district after authorities anticipated trouble following the death of Aziz

Aziz's body was taken to Jamia Masjid in the interior city and is likely to be buried in the Eidgah Martyrs' Graveyard today. Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq is demanding that the curfew be lifted to facilitate mourners to pay their last respects to Aziz.

Meanwhile, Seven policemen, including an IPS officer, were injured today when the service weapon of a personal security officer of People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Javid Mustafa Mir went off accidentally during protests in the Lasjan area of Srinagar.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Saddar Area) Mahesh Kumar was among the seven policemen injured, official sources said. Kumar was hit in the leg and has been admitted to a hospital. Police are trying to ascertain the cause for the incident.

ANI