Body count up in Srinagar; PM calls for meeting
Srinagar: Two protesters who was allegedly throwing stones died in police firing near Srinagar on Sunday, taking the number of people killed in violence in three days in the state capital to eight.
Fifteen people, including 13 policemen, were injured in clashes between protestors and security forces in Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar.
The protestors were trying to block the Srinagar-Jammu national highway when security personnel challenged them, police said. Security police opened fire on the protesters after failing to disperse them. Curfew continued in Srinagar after two days of violence in which six people were killed in firing by security forces. Separatists have called for a shutdown across the Kashmir Valley to protest the killings, prolonging the "difficult times" for residents.
Police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers made repeated announcements in both the Old City and uptown areas, urging people to remain indoors as curfew was imposed in the city for the second consecutive day.
"Police vehicles made curfew announcements outside my home and said nobody must venture outside as an indefinite curfew was in place.
Authorities here say curfew is a preventive measure resorted to under extreme conditions given the overall law and order situation.
"Nobody would like to inconvenience the common man unless it becomes unavoidable. The separatists call for protests, marches and shutdowns and their basic aim is to incite youth to violence even when they say the protests would be peaceful.
"We are yet to see the so-called peaceful separatist protests," a senior police officer said here.
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who was released on Saturday, told the authorities that he would not obey the release orders as he was being released on parole, sources said.
The Valley has been almost paralysed due to violent protests against civilians being killed in firing by security forces since June 11.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Sunday evening to discuss the situation.
The meeting is expected to be attended by Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony.
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