Twelve people died, over 100 protesters and an equal number of security personnel were injured in Kashmir valley during clashes between the people and the forces on Saturday, a day after killing of top-ranking Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani and his two associates. The entire Valley remained on the edge as thousands of people attended the funeral of slain militant commander in south Kashmir's Tral pocket. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti appealed to the people of Jammu & Kashmir to remain calm and maintain peace. The Centre is working with the State Government to bring normalcy in Kashmir Valley, Rajnath said.
The authorities imposed curfew in sensitive localities of Srinagar and south Kashmir's Pulwama district but that did not deter protesters who went on the rampage at several localities, targeting police stations, Government buildings and residences of pro-India politicians.
In view of the sensitive situation, the authorities suspended Amarnath Yatra and train services between Banihal and Baramulla. Examinations at the university and college level have also been postponed.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba expressed grief over the loss of life and asked the security forces to avoid disproportionate use of force for crowd control that results in loss of precious lives and grave injuries. She asked the police and the paramilitary forces to use Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) while dealing with protesters.
Urging for calm, Mehbooba sought the people's cooperation in restoration of normalcy in the Valley. “Violence only brings miseries to the people and tragedies for the victim families,” she said and appealed to the people, especially the youth not to fall prey to the machinations of the vested interests, who play politics over the dead bodies of Kashmiris.
Most of the casualties have been reported in south Kashmir's Anantnag and Kulgam districts. “At a few places during crowd control, 12 people have died,” Additional Director General of Police Shiv Murari Sahai said at a Press conference. He said at many places the mobs forcibly tried to enter security force establishments with the intention to seize weapons and harm force personnel.
The situation went out of control since Saturday morning when tens of thousands of people began marching towards Tral town to attend the funeral of the slain militant. Sources said that a group of militants also attended the funeral prayers of the slain militant.
Wani, 22, was killed on Friday in a gunfight at Bamdooru village of south Kashmir's Kokernag area. He was the most wanted commander of the outfit and carried a bounty of Rs 10 lakh over his head. Wani was instrumental in introducing new-age militancy in Kashmir that attracted hundreds of youngsters towards the militancy in recent years. His pictures and videos, along with his colleagues donning army fatigues, were widely circulated on social media.
In Srinagar, curfew was imposed in old city areas. The Government also blocked mobile internet services except the broadband services in the region since Friday night to avoid spread of rumours.
Violent incidents of arson and stone-pelting were reported from Achabal, Kokernag, Kund, Qazigund, Damhal hanjipora, Vessu, Dooru, Sangam, Awantipora, Pulwama, Bomai, Sopore, Baramulla, Palhalan, Pattan, Delina, Gantmulla, Sheeri, Kreeri, lalpora, bandipora, Narbal, lasjan, Barzulla, Nowgam, Tengpora and Batamaloo areas, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Javed Gilani said.
He said the mob looted weapons from police station Damhal Hanjipora and police personnel were fired upon. “Three policemen are missing,” Gilani said, adding that 96 personnel have been wounded in the clashes. “The police and security force personnel used tear gas to disperse the crowds,” he said.
Sources said that around 70 people, who had received bullet wounds, were admitted to hospitals.
Meanwhile, shops, private offices, business establishments and petrol pumps were shut, while Government offices and banks witnessed thin attendance. Public transport was off the roads.
Educational institutions in the Valley are closed on account of the summer vacations. The Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education and Central University of Kashmir have postponed examinations scheduled for Saturday.
Giving details about the encounter at Kokernag, Sahai said that the encounter took place and there was an exchange of fire. “The fact that two policemen were wounded in the encounter explains that the encounter took place,” he said while dispelling notion that Burhan and his associates were killed in custody or were not given a chance to surrender.
Sahai said that Mehbooba Mufti being the Home Minister of the State was in the know of the operation that killed Burhan Wani and his associates.
He said it would be analysed as to why people in large numbers turned to streets after the killing of militants. He said the Amarnath yatra would be resumed as soon as the situation improves.
Meanwhile, sources said that additional troops are being sent in to Kashmir in chartered flights to reinforce the deployments.