A youth was killed and 13 others were injured in firing by security forces as fresh protests on Wednesday rocked Shopian township, where Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) firing on Saturday had claimed four lives, official sources said.
Rafiq Ahmad Rather was killed when CRPF personnel allegedly opened fire to disperse protesters outside their camp at Gagran village, 52 km from here, they said.
A large number of people had assembled outside the camp to protest the killing of four persons, including three local youth, by CRPF troopers last Saturday.
The protesters were demanding removal of the CRPF camp and arrest of the personnel involved in the “cold blooded murders”.
At least two persons were also injured in the clashes and elsewhere in the town as security forces fired warning shots and teargas shells and used batons to restore law and order, the sources said.
Soon after the death of Rather, the protesters went on the rampage and set ablaze the official residence of a senior officer in the town, they said.
Curfew was imposed in the south Kashmir town on Sunday following widespread clashes between security forces and agitated residents after the killings. It was lifted on Thursday morning.
However, a spontaneous strike was observed in the town with all shops and business establishments closed and transport off the roads.