Curfew remained clamped on Sunday in violence-hit Kashmir Valley as security forces maintained a close vigil on the situation, which continued to be tense following the death of six persons since Friday.
Groups of protestors gathered in Pantha Chowk this morning and blocked the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, official sources said.
Curfew was imposed in nine districts of the Valley — Anantnag, Srinagar, Baramulla, Kulgam, Budgam, Bandipora, Gnaderbal, Shopian and Pulwama — while prohibitory orders are in place in Kupwara district.
Two civilians were killed and 50 people, including 30 policemen, injured on Saturday in clashes between protesters and security forces.
Mobs went on rampage at places like Kreeri, Amargarh, Naidkhai and Baramulla in north Kashmir, Panthachowk in Srinagar and Pampore, Bijbehara, Sangam and Kakpora in south Kashmir on Saturday, according to a police spokesman.
"When all other measures to pacify the crowds failed, police resorted to firing resulting in the death of two persons — Javaid Ahmad Teli, a resident of Bungalbagh, Baramulla and Mudasir Ahmad Lone, a resident of Naidkhai in Bandipora while 11 civilians also received injuries," the spokesman said.
Several policemen including SP Bandipora, DSP Kakapora, DSP Pulwama and SHO Pulwama were injured in violent clashes in Kreeri, Naidkhai, Baramulla, Pampore, Bijbehara and Sangam Bridge, Kakapora.
The first casualty took place at Naidkhai in Sumbal area when hundreds of people gathered outside a Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police's battalion headquarters and tried to ransack and torch it besides snatching the weapons of the personnel.
Repeated requests followed by cane-charging, teargassing and firing in the air proved futile as the crowd turned violent and injured Superintendent of Police of Bandipore, Mr Sheikh Junaid, and 10 others.
Police opened fire, in which one person named Muddasir Ahmed Lone received bullet injuries and later succumbed to his wounds in hospital. The second death took place in Baramulla where a youth — Javed Ahmed — was hit by a rubber bullet. He was shifted to SKIMS where he died.