Situation grave in J&K; five killed in firing

NEW DELHI: Five people were killed and many injured in separate incidents of clashes between violent protesters and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

Three people were killed and at least seven were injured at Bandipura, as army opened fire on protesters, who defied curfew. Two more were killed in fresh clashes at Lasjan area in Srinagar.

Clashes took place on Tuesday after locals came out on the streets to protest against the death of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz in firing on Monday.

The protesters came out on the streets demanding the release of a Hurriyat leader from house arrest so that the leaders can participate in the last rights of the deceased Hurriyat leader Sheikh Aziz.

Meanwhile, curfew remained clamped for the second day on Tuesday in Srinagar after authorities feared trouble over the death of the Hurriyat leader.

Aziz, died at a hospital in Srinagar after being critically injured in police firing at Chahal village in Baramulla district on Monday.

Aziz was part of the fruit grower's march from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad. Four other people were killed in police firing at different places on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway.

The Army has been kept on standby in the Kashmir valley with the situation becoming tense.

Aziz's body which was taken to Jamia Masjid in the interior city is likely to be buried at the Eidgah martyrs' graveyard on Tuesday.

Monday's march by Kashmir Fruit Growers Association, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Traders Federation, both factions of Hurriyat Conference and the PDP followed a call for 'Muzaffarabad chalo' to "neutralise" the economic blockade "enforced" by the Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti, spearheading the shrine land stir in the Jammu region.

Concerned over the escalating violence in the state, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened an all-party meeting on Wednesday at 10 am.