Chased by security forces, Srinagar man drowns

A man drowned in the Jhelum river in Srinagar after he and hundreds of other demonstrators were chased by security forces during a stone-pelting protest on Thursday, witnesses and police said.

Police said people, defying prohibitory orders on the assembly of four or more people, took to the streets in old Srinagar city's Palpora area, located near the Jhelum river.

When security forces tried to disperse the mob, the angry protestors started pelting stones at them.

Police and paramilitary troopers chased them away and one of the protestors jumped into the river to escape arrest. His body was fished out later.

The death took the toll to 73 in the ongoing cycle of stone-throwing protests and counter-violence by security forces in the Kashmir Valley. The dead include two policemen and 71 civilians.

The street unrest was triggered by the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

--IANS

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