Civilian killed in fresh violence in J&K; toll rises to 49

Kashmir’s two days of relative calm ended on Friday, as protests across the Valley prompted police to fire at the crowd, killing one person. Sources said protests broke out after Friday prayers in different areas of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. At Charsoo, Awantipora, a youth was shot dead by the forces while two others received critical injuries, they said.

Similar reports were received from north Kashmir’s Sopore town, where police used tear-gas shells and pellets to disperse the protesters. One critically injured youth has been shifted to Srinagar for specialised treatment.  

Earlier, another youth from Kokernag area of south Kashmir succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS hospital here late on Thursday, officials said, bringing death toll in the current violence spell to 49. The youth received bullet injury in his chest and was admitted on July 10. Curfew continued in



the Valley on 14th day as the authorities disallowed people to offer congregation prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in the old city and other volatile areas for the second consecutive Friday.

In view of the protests called by separatists after the Friday prayers, hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed around masjids to prevent people from assembling there. Police officials said the curfew would remain in place till further orders.

In a related development, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directed the state government to take action against some news channels that have created “hysteria” about Kashmir and its people. The court blamed the television channels reportage for pushing Kashmiri IAS officer Shah Faesal “to the edge”. A division bench of the high court said the media was not above law and needs to be made aware of it.