Death toll in Indian-controlled Kashmir rises to 19, local gov't calls for calm

Clashes in Indian-controlled Kashmir between protesters and government forces continued for the second straight day Sunday despite curfew, pushing death toll to 19 including a policeman, officials said.

The clashes and violent anti-India demonstrations triggered following the killing of a popular militant commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani in a gunfight. Wani was killed along with two associates.

"There has been no respite in the ongoing clashes and we have information that so far 19 people (18 protesters and one policeman) were killed since yesterday," an official said. "The dead include a policeman as well, who drowned after the vehicle he was driving was pushed into a river by protesters."

Officials said the armoured police vehicle was pushed into river by angry protesters at Sangam village in southern district of Anantnag.

Meanwhile, local government spokesman Nayeem Akhtar appealed people not to agitate and sought the support of the mainstream and separatist political parties to restore calm in the restive region.

"The cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed grief and anguish over the loss of precious human lives and made a fervent appeal to all shades of political opinion, including the mainstream and the separatists, to help restore calm as the violence has neither served any purpose in the past nor is it going to do so in the prevailing circumstances," Akhtar said.

Akthar, who is also a minister in the local government walked out of the press conference and refused to answer questions from media.

Reports of fresh clashes were received from several places of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Budgam districts with many reported injured. Officials said about 150 people were injured during the two days of violence. The irate youth threw rocks and brickbats on contingents of Indian troops and police, who respond by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and bullets.

Police officials said protesters attacked several police and paramilitary posts in the region. According to police, around 90 policemen were also injured in the crowd control.

Police describes Wani's killing as a "major setback" to local militants and see it as "success".

Sensing trouble the authorities soon after Wani's killing suspended cellphone, internet and train services in the region, and indefinitely halted an annual Hindu pilgrimage to Amarnath. The pilgrimage to the mountain cave attracts about half a million people every year.

Thousands of Indian troops and policemen in riot gears carrying automatic rifles have been deployed across towns and villages in the region to prevent protests.

India's state-run broadcaster - All India Radio (AIR) said a reinforcement of 12 companies of paramilitary troopers have been rushed for deployment in southern districts.

Local newspaper reports said heath officials at Srinagar's main hospital -SMHS have declared a medical emergency in wake of increasing number of injured admitted at the hospital, with majority of them admitted with firearm wounds. The hospital authorities have cancelled routine surgeries in the hospital because of rush of injured people.

The 22-year-old Wani was poster boy of of HM, the region's indigenous militant outfit. He had featured in videos - wearing combat fatigues and brandishing automatic weapons - circulated on social networking websites aimed at encouraging new generation of Kashmiris to join militant groups and warning policemen to confine themselves in police stations.

The fresh killings are likely to fuel further anger in the volatile region.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep among some Kashmiris. 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.

The local government has placed key seperatist leaders under house arrest fearing their participation in demonstrations would intensify anti-India protests and mobilize people in large numbers. Endit