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Fresh firing kills one more civilian in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Xinhua, July 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

One more civilian has been killed and several others injured during police firing on protesters in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The protesters defied curfew at several places and clashed with police shouting anti-India slogans after Friday afternoon congregational prayers.

The youth was killed on Friday at village Chursoo near Awantipora town in Pulwama district, about 30 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"At Chursoo Pulwama a youth was hit by a teargas shell and got seriously wounded. He later on succumbed to his injuries," a police spokesman said.

For the past 14 days, Muslim majority areas of the region are under a lockdown.

Though authorities barred people from offering Friday prayers in most of the big mosques including Srinagar's grand mosque, however, people assembled after praying at small mosques and staged anti-India protests, besides clashing with government forces.

According to police spokesman, clashes were reported from several places.

Protests in the region broke out following the killing of a top militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Burhan Muzaffar Wani, along with two associates on July 8. The 22-year-old Wani was poster boy of HM, region's indigenous militant outfit.

Wani's killing triggered violent protests and clashes after which authorities imposed curfew. Police firing on civilian protesters defying restrictions has so far resulted in killing of more than 40 people, mostly teenagers and young, besides injuring 3,500 including 1,500 policemen.

The cellphone and internet services continue to remain suspended in the region since July 8 in bid to prevent people from mobilizing. The local government has placed key separatist leaders under house arrest fearing their participation in demonstrations would intensify anti-India protests and mobilize people in large numbers.

Reports said Indian home minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Srinagar on Saturday to asses the situation.

Prior to this, in 2010, a similar wave of violence hit the region and claimed over 100 lives during clashes that continued for months together.

A separatist movement and guerrilla 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