Two including 16-year-old killed in Kashmir firing (Second Lead)

SRINAGAR - Two protesters, including a 16-year-old teenager, were killed and three others injured Monday when security forces opened fire at a mob in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The deaths - the first fatalities in a week - take the toll in the ongoing unrest in the Valley since June 11 to 67.

“A teenaged protester identified as Showkat Ahmad, 16, was killed and four others injured when security forces opened fire at a highly agitated stone-pelting mob at Palhalan village today (Monday),” a senior police officer said here.

Two of the injured who sustained bullet injuries in the incident were taken to a hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment. One of them, identified as Mohammad Ramzan Mir, 35, succumbed to his injuries

In the wake of the firing incident in Palhalan village, situated 35 km from Srinagar on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, a large number of people blocked the traffic on the highway.

Tensions have also mounted in Pattan town and other adjacent areas in the wake of the teenager’s death.

Last Monday 11-year-old Irshad Ahmad Parray was killed when security forces fired rubber bullets at a huge mob of stone-pelters attacking the Sherbagh police post in Anantnag town.

Meanwhile, markets, transport and other business establishments opened up in Srinagar city and other parts of the valley in the afternoon following appeals by hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani who modified his protest calendar in the light of the Shab-e-Qadr, the holiest night according to the Muslim belief falling Monday.