Policeman, civilian shot dead by militants in south Kashmir’s Kulgam
Militants shot dead on Friday a civilian and a policeman in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
A civilian and a policeman were shot dead by militants in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Friday.
Confirming the incident, superintendent of police, Kulgam, Muhammad Irshad, told to Hindustan Times, “In the evening, shops had opened in Chamsar village when militants attacked people. Police constable Manzoor Ahmad Parray and a civilian Farooq Ahmad Dar, both residents of that area, were killed.”
The deaths are the latest in the spate of violence that has gripped the Kashmir Valley since July 8 when security forces killed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Considered a hero among many locals, Wani’s death triggered a series of protests that led to clashes between security forces and civilians, conflict that has left close to 60 dead and hundreds injured.
For the 35th day, curfew remained in place. However, dozens of people were injured in protests post Friday’s prayers.
A police statement on Friday evening said “more than three dozen incidents of stone pelting” were reported from different districts of the Valley including “Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara and Bandipora”.
“Many police/security force men have been reported injured during these clashes.”
Private mobile services were snapped after 11pm on Thursday and only the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) post-paid numbers remained effective.
On Friday evening, users of non-BSNL broadband services told Hindustan Times that their internet connections were also not working. The local daily Greater Kashmir reported on its website that “authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have asked the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to stop internet services in Kashmir ‘immediately’”.
Hindustan Times could not verify this order independently.
The developments come on a day the Centre held an all-party meet regarding the situation in the Valley. However, no mainstream party from the state was invited for this discussion.
Read| Kashmir all-party meet: Modi discusses atrocities in PoK, Balochistan
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