A mob tried to storm an army camp on Sunday in Bandipora district, shattering the day-long fragile peace in curfew-bound Kashmir even as the Centre rushed about two thousand additional Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to shore up security in the Valley where the violence has claimed 39 lives since July 9.
Protesters attacked the army camp at Ajas in Bandipora district, forcing the security forces to open fire. Three persons were injured in the incident, police said.
Curfew remained in force for the third consecutive day in the wake of deadly clashes, following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani nine days ago, leaving 39 dead and over 3,160 injured. Two persons were also injured in security forces action when a mob pelted stones in Eidgah area of the city.
The fresh violence came even as the situation in curfew-bound Kashmir was by and large peaceful during the day. After restricting mobile telephone services, authorities have now snapped the landline connections to curb the violent protests. “All 10 districts of Kashmir Valley continue to remain under curfew on Sunday as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order,” a police official said.
He said the decision to continue the curfew was taken to maintain law and order as one person was killed in fresh violence in Kupwara district on Sunday. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said.
Official added that a total of 20 fresh units (100 personnel in each) are being rushed to the Valley which will be in addition to 2,800 Central Reserve Police Force personnel which were sent to assist the state police last week. “Some of the fresh units will exclusively render the task of road opening parties in order to secure the movement of security forces convoys,” a senior official said.
About 60 battalions (about 1,000 in personnel each) are already stationed in the state as part of counter insurgency grid. A youth suffered pellet injury during a protest this evening in Rainawari area here. While telephone connections in three north Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara were snapped on Saturday, the inter-exchange calls for all landline connections in the Valley were snapped. Customers are not able to make calls to any phone outside their district.
No police or civil administration official was willing to reply to queries related to restrictions on telephone services. However, government sources said the step has been taken to contain the violent protests. “The protests and mob attacks are being mobilised using telephones. Very reluctantly we have decided to take this step in order to prevent any further loss of life or property,” a government source said.
The fresh curbs come as the local newspapers failed to hit stand for the second day after authorities raided the printing presses of media houses on Friday night. The state government on Sunday also extended the summer vacations for schools and colleges in the Valley by another week.
The educational institutions, which were scheduled to reopen tomorrow after 17-day break, will now reopen on July 25.The separatists groups have extended the strike call till Monday evening.