Fresh violence in Kashmir, 16 killed, 70 injured

SRINAGAR: Fresh violence erupted in the Kashmir Valley on Monday , leaving 16, including a policeman, dead and over 70 injured. Mobs torched several government properties and a Christian school, following an Iranian TV channel reporting desecration of the Koran in the US.

The state cabinet, which met on Monday evening, condemned the alleged act of desecration and made a fervent appeal to the people not to take law in their own hands.

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voiced concern over the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. He also sought to reach out to the people in the state, saying their grievances have to be addressed and promised talks within the Indian Constitution with those who abjure violence.

Five persons were killed and more than 20 others injured in firing by security forces at Tangmarg, 45 km from Srinagar, in Baramulla district after protesters went on a rampage setting ablaze a private school, run by a Christian educational group, following the report of desecration.

The mob torched a Block Development Office, court chamber, tehsildar’s official vehicle and residence, social welfare office, patwari office and two huts of tourism department , DG police Kuldeep Khoda told reporters.

The agitators then attacked a police station and tried to ransack it, prompting the security forces to fire at them.
While two youths — Muddasir Ahmad Parray and Abdul Majid — were declared dead at the nearby Magam sub-district hospital, another youth succumbed to injuries at a city hospital here. He has been identified as Abdul Qayoom, officials at the hospital said.

Two injured youths, identified as Afaq Ahmad Khan and Tariq Ahmad Ganai, were declared dead on arrival at a city hospital. Another mob attacked a security forces camp at Humhama in Budgam district, prompting retaliatory fire in which two were killed.

In Charar-e-Sharief , protesters pelted stones at a CRPF camp, deputy commissioner, Budgam, Rafi Ahmed said. CRPF personnel resorted to firing to disperse the mob. Seven persons were injured one of whom succumbed to his injuries.

A woman died on the spot when she was hit by a stray bullet inside her residential compound at Ompora in Budgam. Policeman Devender Singh was killed when he was run over by a vehicle while chasing a stone-pelting mob in Budgam.