A month on, curfew, shutdown continue in Kashmir

Government-enforced curfew and separatist-called shutdown continued for an unprecedented 31st day on Monday in the Kashmir Valley as the death toll in the month-long unrest mounted to 56 after an injured civilian succumbed at a hospital here.

There were more violent protests across the valley in which at least a dozen civilians were wounded, a police spokesman said here.

The civilians were wounded in clashes with the security forces in the south Kashmir highway town of Bijbehara. Police said the injured have been shifted to hospital for treatment.

An angry mob torched a police post in north Kashmir Sumbal town after one person died in a road accident involving an army vehicle. The deceased identified as Muhammad Ashraf Mir was hit by an army mine-proof vehicle while he was driving his car.

Authorities continued with curfew in south Kashmir towns of Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam while restrictions were imposed for the 31st consecutive day in the old city areas of Srinagar and in Handwara, Sopore, Kupwara and Baramulla towns.

Earlier, an injured youth, Amir Bashir, of south Kashmir Shopian district who was injured in a clash with security forces on August 5, succumbed at a Srinagar hospital.

Separatists leaders continued to remain under preventive detention here. They have given a protest calendar till August 12 asking people to shut shops, businesses, offices and schools.

All educational institutions, business establishments and public transport have remained closed for over a month in the valley. Widespread protests erupted in the Valley on July 9, a day after Hizbul comm ander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces.

--IANS

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