Death toll in Valley protests against Guru hanging rises to 3

Srinagar, Feb 11: A youth shot in firing by security forces during protests in the Kashmir Valley against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru died early today taking the death toll to three since clashes broke out last Saturday.

As the Valley remained under curfew for the third day today, official sources said the situation was by and large peaceful with no reports of any untoward incident from anywhere in the Valley.

Jammu and Kashmir government in a revised press statement during the day deleted a reference to the earlier announcement of a magisterial inquiry into the incidents leading to the death of the three youths during the protests.

The first statement by an official spokesman earlier quoted Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon about directions being given for conducting a magisterial probe.

Samoon when contacted said the matter regarding any magisterial probe has not been decided yet and that the state goernment may take a view later.

Ubaid Mushtaq, who was injured allegedly in firing by security forces at Watergam village in Baramulla district yesterday, succumbed to injuries at 3 AM, Medical Superintendent of SKIMS Hospital Aijaz Mustafa said.

Two youths drowned in a river in Ganderbal yesterday when they tried to escape security personnel while being chased during a demonstration by protesters.

The body of one of the youths--Zameer Ahmad Dar-- was fished out from Jhelum river in Ganderbal district this morning, official sources said. The other youth who drowned was identified as Tariq Ahmad Bhat.

An irate mob thrashed Executive Magistrate Ganderbal Ghulam Mohammad Khatana and his personal security guard Fayaz Ahmad as body of Dar was being taken to Sub-District Hospital for post-mortem, Official sources said.

The sources said Khatana and his guard had to be rescued by police by firing tear smoke shells at the protesters. Both of them were admitted to a hospital for treatment.

The restrictions on the movement of people in the Valley were also further tightened in view of apprehension of widespread protests to commemorate the 29th death anniversary of JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.

Bhat, who was sentenced to death for murder of a police officer, was hanged inside Tihar Jail on this day in 1984.

As many as 14 companies of BSF were rushed to Kashmir Valley from Jammu to beef up the security apparatus.

Earlier post:

Curfew continues uninterrupted in Kashmir, teen dies

Srinagar, Feb 11: A 14-year-old boy wounded in clashes with security forces died in a hospital here Monday as curfew continued without any relaxation in Kashmir Valley for the third day following the hanging of Afzal Guru.

All 10 district headquarters have been under curfew since Saturday, when Afzal Guru, who belonged to Sopore, was hanged in New Delhi for his role in the Dec 13, 2001 attack on parliament.

As tension continued in the valley, Ubaid Ahmad Rather, who had been injured Sunday in clashes with security forces in Watergam (Rafiabad) village in Baramulla district died in Srinagar's super specialty Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura hospital, family sources said. Four others had been injured.

Ubaid and another critically injured person Sajad Ahmad had been referred to the Srinagar hospital by doctors in Baramulla district Sunday evening. In another incident, a youth identified as Tariq Ahmad Bhat drowned in Jhelum river.

Police said the youth had died after a boat capsize while five others were saved during the incident. However, villagers in Batwina village of north Kashmir Ganderbal district said he was being chased by security forces during the protests and jumped into the river in panic.

Taking no chances with the law and order situation, authorities continued curfew in the valley.

On Monday, separatists had already called for a protest shutdown to coincide with the death anniversary of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Muhammad Maqbool Butt, who was hanged in Tihar Jail this day in 1984.

Authorities have said there would be no restrictions on the movements of medical staff and all others responsible for maintaining essential services in the valley.

"Their identity cards should be treated as curfew passes by the security forces," an official told reporters.

No print editions of local newspapers could hit the stands here for the second day as editors said their print publications were being disallowed by the authorities.

Cable television operations in Srinagar city also remained suspended for the third day while reports from other district headquarters said cable television operations continued normally there.

No internet services were available in the Valley today on dongle appliances or mobile phones as all service providers shut services without any intimation to their subscribers three days back.

BSNL broadband facilities, however, worked in the summer capital Srinagar and other places in the Valley.