Jammu and Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar came under curfew again after thousands clashed with security forces during the funeral of boy killed in protests, police said yesterday.
Police and paramilitary troops fired tear gas, pellets and live rounds into the air to disperse the funeral procession of the 12-year-old Junaid Ahmad Bhat as his body was carried to Srinagar’s “Martyr’s Graveyard”, a police officer said.
Residents said the boy was sprayed with pellets in the lawn outside his home, but police say he was part of anti-India protests that took place on Friday.
“We are taking all possible measures so that the protests don’t spread to other areas,” the officer said, referring to the curfew.
The angry mourners were shouting “We want freedom” and “Go Indian, go back” during the procession.
More than 50 people were injured during Friday’s protests in the state, which has been roiled by deadly violence for nearly four months.
At least 90 people, most of them young protesters, have been killed and more than 12,000 injured in clashes with security forces.
For the 13th consecutive Friday no congressional prayers were allowed inside the historic Jamia Masjid in old city’s Nowhatta.
Authorities also foiled a separatist march to the uptown Sonawar area where the office of the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is located.
Thousands more have been arrested since the unrest began on July 8, when militant leader Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with soldiers.
Since then shops, schools and most banks have remained shut and authorities have suspended mobile phone Internet services.
In a separate incident overnight, suspected rebels fired at a police post in the southern Shopian district killing an officer and injuring three others, a police statement said.
Tension between India and Pakistan has soared after a militant attack last month on an army base in Uri in Kashmir killed 19 soldiers, and the Indian army’s surgical strikes against militant launch pads across the LoC on September 29. Since then the two armies have been exchanging heavy fire and mortars across the border almost every day.
Meanwhile, federal Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed security on the international border in Rajasthan and said India never attacked anyone but doesn’t count the bullets when retaliating.
On the second day of his trip to the desert state, Singh visited the Border Security Force’s Munabao Border Outpost (BOP) in Barmer.
“India never attacks anyone and we do not intend to occupy others’ land. Our heritage is ‘Vasudev Kutumbakam’ or the whole world is one family. We never open fire first; but if attacked, in retaliation we never count the bullets after pulling the trigger,” the minister said while addressing BSF personnel.
Lauding the BSF, Singh said the central government will do everything to improve infrastructure on the international borders and their service conditions.
He said urgent repairs on damaged border fence at some places will be carried out, and periodically reviewed thereafter.
The minister said installation of flood lights and a road parallel to the border fencing will also be completed to facilitate effective border patrols.