Government monitoring fresh Kashmir turbulence

NEW DELHI - The central government is monitoring the situation in the Kashmir Valley where hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets and damaged government property on Eid-ul-Fitr Saturday, a senior Home Ministry official said.

“The situation in Kashmir is tense again. We are in regular touch with the state government and monitoring the situation continuously,” a senior official, who declined to be identified, told IANS.

“The forces have been asked to keep utmost restraint in view of Eid. There are sufficient forces stationed in the Valley. We will respond as the situation develops,” he added.

Mobs held anti-India demonstrations and damaged government property in several parts of Srinagar and other towns soon after the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers in the morning, reports from Srinagar said.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, was stopped by the police as he led a massive demonstration to the city centre Lal Chowk in the morning. Police fired shots in the air to disperse the crowds.

A total of 69 people, mostly teenagers and youth, have been killed in the cycle of violence since June 11 as security forces opened fire at stone-pelting street protesters.