4 more die in Valley, Army to be deployed
The killing of four more persons, including a woman, in firing by the CRPF and police, and alleged beatings has resulted in mayhem in Srinagar and several other parts of the Kashmir Valley, forcing the authorities to clamp curfew in affected areas. The J&K police chief said the Army’s help had been sought and that they would deploy
in “very sensitive areas” at first light on Wednesday. Elsewhere, security restrictions have been put in place and police and paramilitary reinforcements have fanned out.
After Tuesday’s killings, the toll in the current spell of violence has risen to 18. All but two deaths have occurred in CRPF and local police firing whereas in two cases the security forces have been accused of hitting victims with rifle butts, leading to fatalities
In renewed clashes and violence set off by the latest killings, nearly 200 people were injured across the Valley, many of them CRPF and local policemen. Crowds set a government official’s car and a police barrack on fire and also attacked the house of ruling NC MLA Irfan Shah in Srinagar. Protests and violence also erupted at 16 places in the districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shop-ian, Pulwama, Baramulla, Bandipore, Kupwara and Budgam.
Governor N.N. Vohra rushed to New Delhi for consultations. In Srinagar, CM Omar Abdullah met his senior colleagues in the NC-Congress coalition and top security officials. Mr Abdullah spoke to Union home minister P. Chidam-baram following the fresh violence.
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