Roundup: Violence spirals in Indian-controlled Kashmir as protests continue

Scores of people, mostly students, were injured in fresh anti-India protests and clashes with government forces in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir on Monday.

Clashes broke out in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, after police tried to stop the students from marching toward the city center.

The students were chanting slogans "We want freedom" and "Go India, Go back."

"Police chased the students, used teargas and fired shotgun pellets. It triggered clashes with youth responding by throwing rocks at police," a student told Xinhua.

Protests were reported from all the major towns, including Baramulla, Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara and Ganderbal.

Indian-controlled Kashmir is on the edge since April 9, the day of polling for Indian elections in Srinagar constituency.

Violence marred elections following which authorities ordered re-poll.

The agitated youth destroyed electronic voting machines, locked polling stations and chased paramilitary personnel at some polling booths.

Eight people were killed and over 200 people, including government force personnel, were injured in the day-long clashes, forcing the Election Commission of India to defer similar polls in Anantnag constituency by more than a month.

The voter turnout in Srinagar constituency was recorded at 7 percent, the lowest in decades.

Monday's protests were called by Kashmir University's students union, a banned student body.

"The savagery inflicted on students isn't only a display of the basic lack of regard for the sanctity of educational institutions, but is meant, as part of the oppression unleashed on yet another generation of Kashmiris, to humiliate and break the will of the youth," reads the statement issued by the student body.

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

Last week, a series of brutal videos went viral on social media, showing government forces committing excesses while dealing with protesters in the region.

The videos evoked sharp condemnation of the locals. Endit