Many parts of Kashmir today saw clashes as mobs defied curfew to indulge in stone-pelting, along with which a police station was attacked with grenade and firing, leaving 15 people, including eight security personnel, injured in the incidents.
Due to trouble in Kashmir, the Amarnath yatra continued to be suspended for the second consecutive day.
Authorities had imposed curfew in all the 10 districts of Kashmir valley apprehending trouble since it was the first Friday after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani on this day last week.
However, mobs defied curfew at many places, including in Baramulla, Sopore town, Rafiabad, Bandipora district, Kulgam district and Pulwama district, a police official said, adding 10 people, including three security personnel, were injured in these incidents.
A patrol party of security forces was attacked by a mob with stones at Delina in Baramulla district this morning, injuring three security personnel, the official said.
In retaliation, security forces opened fire in which three civilians were injured. Condition of all the injured is stated to be stable, he added.
A mob indulged in stone-pelting in Sopore and in the retaliatory action, four persons sustained pellet injuries.
Yaripora area of Kulgam in south Kashmir saw a grenade attack followed by firing on a police station during stone- pelting, resulting in injuries to five police personnel, the official said.
"Someone from the mob hurled a grenade towards the police personnel during stone pelting on police station Yaripora. The grenade attack was followed by firing also," he said.
Police has been saying that militants merge with stone- pelters to carry out attacks on security personnel, using civilians as a shield.
Curfew had been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the valley where 36 people have died and over 3100 others, including 1500 security personnel, injured in the week-long clashes following Burhan's killing in an encounter in Kokernag.
The decision to impose curfew was taken as there were apprehensions that vested interests might exploit the large gatherings at Friday prayers to instigate fresh violence, an official said.
Due to curfew, friday prayers could not be offered in many prominent mosques in the valley. The mosques where prayers could not be offered included the historic Jamia Masjid, Naqshband Sahib shrine and Dastageer Sahib shrine in Srinagar.
Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength across the valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said.
Authorities had also pulled the plug on mobile telephone
services in the valley to prevent any rumour-mongering. "Only postpaid connections of BSNL are working," the official said.
Although the official did not assign any reason for allowing the BSNL postpaid connections, it is believed that the comparatively small number of mobile phones were kept functional as most of the government and police officials use this service.
Mobile Internet services continued to remain suspended for the seventh day today while trains are also off the tracks in the valley as a precautionary measure.
Violent protests rocked Kashmir last weekend following killing of Burhan Wani and two of his associated in an encounter with security forces on July 8 in Kokernag area of Anantnag district.
In the ensuing clashes with security forces, 36 peopel, including a cop have been killed while 3140 people, including 1500 security force personnel, have been injured.
Normal life has remained paralysed since Saturday in Kashmir on account of separatist sponsored-strike and curfew- like restrictions imposed by authorities.
The separatists groups -- both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF -- have been issuing strike calls two days at a time, a practice reminiscent of 2010 summer agitation.
All the top separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik have been placed under house arrest of taken into preventive custody by the authorities since the clashes broke out last Saturday.
