After a week-long calm, the situation in Kashmir was back to square one on Monday as three civilians were killed and 12 injured when police opened fire on a mob at Palhalan on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Thousands staged demonstrations against the killings.
Sources said a youth Feroz Ahmad was killed on the spot when the police opened fire to break a demonstration soon after the relaxation in the strike programme announced by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani.
A group of youths, a local resident said, was protesting on the highway when the police allegedly opened fire to chase them away. Four persons including Feroz sustained injuries. Feroz was declared brought dead at hospital. Two civilians, Mohammad Ramzan and Nooruddin, later died at the S.K. Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura. “They had grievous injuries,” Medical Superintendent Syed Amin Tabish said. He said the condition of another injured was critical.
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Unconfirmed reports said another youth Mudasir Ahmad also died of injuries in hospital.
Reports said while Feroz was killed in the first round of firing, others suffered serious injuries when the police again opened fire on people who were protesting against the first killing. However, the police denied the reports.
As the news spread, people from Palhalan and other adjoining areas marched towards the highway and began demonstrations. Shouting slogans, they blocked the highway and demanded that stern action be taken against the killers.
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A police spokesman said the situation in the Valley remained largely peaceful. Shops opened and traffic plied on the roads. There was no curfew anywhere.