Youth killed as mob defies curfew in Kashmir

SRINAGAR - A youth was killed and two people injured Friday as security forces fired at a protesting mob defying curfew in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said.

Mudasir Ahmad Zargar, 21, was killed in the firing by security forces at the mob in Kupwara’s Trehgam village.

“Two other people injured in the incident are being treated in hospital,” a police officer said here.

With Zargara’s death, the number of civilians killed across the Kashmir Valley in the present unrest that started here June 11 has risen to 52.

Separatist hardline Hurriyat led by Syed Ali Geelani has called for protests at district headquarters across the Valley Friday and a march to Pather Masjid in Srinagar’s Old City.

The Hurriyat group led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has also called for a protest march to Jamia Masjid in Old City.

Shops, educational institutions, banks, post offices and other businesses remained shut in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley and public transport remained off the roads.

Reports of clashes between stone pelting mobs and security forces have also come in from north Kashmir Baramulla town, Palhalan village and Pattan town.

At all these places, mobs defied curfew to engage the security forces in clashes.

The Kashmir Valley has been on the boil for two months due to violent protests against civilians being killed in firing by security forces.