Clashes, shutdown continue in Indian-controlled Kashmir over killing of truckers on beef row

Clashes and shutdown continued for the fourth-straight day Wednesday in Anantnag district, south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir over the killing of Muslim trucker by activists of rightwing Hindu group.

The clashes broke out in Bijbehara town, where a youth was critically wounded after being hit on head by a tear smoke shell fired by police, locals said.

"A youth Naseer Ahmad Dar underwent surgery here and he is now in the surgical Intensive Care Unit of hospital," a senior doctor at SKIMS hospital, authorized not to talk to media said. "We are monitoring him closely owing to his critical condition."

The youth defied restrictions in the town and fought pitched battles with contingents of Indian police and paramilitary. Reports said the youth were throwing stones as police fired warning shots and tear smoke shells to keep them at bay.

Reports of clashes were received from Anantnag town and parts of Kulgam.

Clashes in Anantnag and neighboring Kulgam districts broke out on Sunday after Zahid Rasool Bhat, a Kashmiri trucker burnt in petrol bomb attack succumbed to his injuries at a New Delhi hospital.

Bhat's truck was attacked during a strike called by Hindu hardline groups to protest hosting of a beef party by a pro-India legislator in the region.

Anantnag is home district of Bhat.

Vehicular traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link to region remained affected due to clashes. Schools, businesses and offices remained closed in wake of the disturbance.

On Monday the region observed a complete shutdown on the call of separatist groups, traders and transporters to protest what they described "a cold-blooded murder."

Reports said police Wednesday detained a senior separatist leader Mohammed Yasin Malik outside SKIMS. Another separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been placed under house arrest.

Indian-controlled Kashmir is a Muslim majority region, where beef is being consumed by a vast population, despite a ban.

The law prohibiting sale of beef was never enforced strictly in the region.

Trouble in Indian-controlled Kashmir started after region's High Court ordered for enforcement of archaic ban on cow slaughter and sale of beef. The High Court order was later suspended by India's Supreme Court.

Last week High Court set aside its earlier order and asked the government to review the laws which have become redundant. Endit