Monday, June 28, 2010

Police fire at Kashmir protesters

Police in Indian-administered Kashmir have fired at stone-throwing protesters who had taken to the streets of Sopore in defiance of a curfew.

The demonstrators are protesting against the deaths of six civilians in firing by security forces in June.

The state government has criticised the security forces for being "trigger happy" and urged restraint.

Hundreds of thousands of troops are based in Kashmir to fight a two-decade-old insurgency against Indian rule.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Muslim-majority Kashmir, over which India and Pakistan both claim sovereignty and have fought two wars.
Procession

The firing on Monday morning took place in the northern town of Sopore, 50km (30 miles) from Srinagar city.

Thousands of people came out to join the funeral procession of Bilal Ahmed, 22, who was killed in firing by the paramilitary CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) on Sunday night.

Police opened fire as the protesters marched towards the police station.

Reports say that some people have been wounded.

The separatist All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has called for a march from Srinagar to Sopore.

A procession has already started from the Rajouri Kadal area in the old city of Srinagar and the authorities have put up barricades on the roads leading to Sopore.

Six civilians have been killed in firing by police and paramilitaries in Srinagar and Sopore in June. At least four of the deaths have been blamed on the CRPF.

The state authorities have criticised the federal forces for "excessive use of force" against the protesters.

On Sunday night, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spoke to India's Home Minister P Chidambaram and expressed his concern over the killings.

Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar told a press conference on Sunday night that the CRPF had ignored the chief minister's clear instructions to exercise restraint while dealing with protesters.

Mr Sagar said the killing of Bilal Ahmed had "no justification at all".

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