Eleven protesters were killed and over 120 persons, including 96 security personnel, were injured, as violent street protests erupted across the Kashmir valley on Saturday after militant commander Burhan Wani was killed in a joint operation by security forces on Friday.
The Government clamped curfew in large parts of Kashmir and the Amarnath yatra has been suspended.
The State has also requested for 30 paramilitary companies from the Centre to control the situation.
While phone services were snapped in large parts of south Kashmir, internet services remained suspended across the Kashmir Valley. All examinations and interviews have been cancelled and railway services suspended.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti have condoled the deaths of civilians and appealed for calm.
Speaking to reporters on the situation, Additional Director General of Police, CID, S.M Sahai, said eleven protesters had died in clashes as “The mobs either tried to enter or entered several security forces’ installations,” with the epicentre of the violence remaining south Kashmir’s Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts.
As Wani was laid to rest in his native Tral, violent mobs attacked police and paramilitary installations at various places in the Valley and set ablaze several buildings including three police stations.
Mehbooba appeals for calm
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday expressed grief over civilian deaths in the widespread violence across the Kashmir Valley as protests erupted over the death of Hizb commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on Friday. Ms. Mufti said, “Disproportionate use of force for crowd control results in loss of precious lives and grave injuries, which should be avoided at all costs.”
She asked the police and the paramilitary forces to use Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) while dealing with protesters “to avoid loss of precious human lives or injuries”, and sought people’s cooperation in restoration of normality. The separatists have extended the call for a shutdown in the Valley for two more days, even as Amarnath Yatra was suspended.
