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2 Killed in Police Firing in Kashmir, Probe Ordered

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, June 20: Two persons were killed and 10 others injured in police firing in restive Kashmir on Monday. Authorities have ordered a probe.

People in hundreds took to roads at Baramulla in North Kashmir on Monday after a woman Haseena accused the policemen of molesting her in a police station, where she had gone to seek the release of her detained husband.

Raising pro-freedom, anti-India and anti-police slogans, the protestors were demanding action against the policemen involved in the misbehaviour with the woman. The protestors clashed with police men, who fired tear smoke shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse the agitating people. At least a dozen protestors and some policemen were injured.

As the protests continued, the policemen fired on the protestors killing a protestor Saleem Rashid and injuring 11 others. The injured were taken to different hospitals, where one of them Tariq Ahmad Malik succumbed to injuries. The doctors attending on the injured have termed the condition of one of them as "life threatening".

After the death of two protestors, tension gripped North Kashmir township and people again took to roads and staged massive demonstrations. They again clashed with police and paramilitary personnel.

As a precautionary measures, authorities imposed a curfew in the township and deployed hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel to prevent people from staging demonstrations.

The authorities have also ordered a probe into the killing of two protestors and the allegations levelled by woman against the police.

Meanwhile, separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference has called for a three-day strike to protest against the killing of two protestors and the rape and murder of two women in Shopian.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.