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Firing on protesters kills 1 in Indian-controlled Kashmir after Modi ends visit

Xinhua, November 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

A youth was killed Saturday after Indian police and paramilitary fired on protesters during clashes in Indian-controlled Kashmir, soon after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his visit to the restive region, police said.

The clashes broke out at Zainakote locality of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, after dozens of young protesters clashed with police defying restrictions to disallow separatist called "million march".

"Today an unruly mob pelted stones on police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployments in Zainakote area of Srinagar city. The deployed personnel used tear smoke shells to disperse the stone pelting mob," a police spokesman said. "In this action one person namely Gowhar Ahmad Dar was wounded, following which, he was shifted to hospital where he unfortunately succumbed."

Across the region, authorities had imposed a lockdown throughout the day to prevent a parallel rally "million march" called by the region's separatists aiming at countering Modi's rally and challenging New Delhi's rule over Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Indian police had detained key separatist leaders including Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, besides over 200 of their activists to prevent them from organising "million march".

The police spokesman said they regret the loss of life in unfortunate incident and said a probe has been ordered into the killing.

"A magisterial probe has already been ordered to investigate into circumstances which led to the death of Dar," the spokesman said.

Modi in his speech at the highly-fortified Sher-i-Kashmir cricket stadium announced a financial package of about 12 billion U.S. dollars for the restive region.

Reports said shortly after Modi left the city, protests erupted at several areas, following which contingents of Indian police and paramilitary fired warning shots and tear gas shells to disperse crowds.

No sooner, the news about Dar's killing reached locals. Hundreds of people, mostly young, poured into streets shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris.

Meanwhile, the separatists have called for a shutdown in the region on Sunday to protest Dar's killing.

A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit