Srinagar: The situation in Kashmir continues to be tense as the death toll in the Valley has risen to 34. The state witnessed widespread violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
Shattering the fragile peace, clashes erupted again on Wednesday evening at Harnag in Koimoh with a group of youth pelting stones on passing vehicles of security forces. One youth was injured when security forces tried to control the mob, officials said.
In another incident, one person was injured when security forces fired at Koil in Pulwama district to disperse a mob which was pelting stones at the Indian Air Force base, officials said. They said Reyaz Ahmad Padder was admitted to District Hospital Pulwama where his situation is stated to be stable.
Earlier, barring some incidents of stone-pelting, Kashmir was relatively calm through the day as curfew remained in force in some parts of the Valley, including Pampore and Kupwara towns. Restrictions were in place on movement of people in the rest of the Valley.
A police spokesman said barring "some incidents" of stone pelting at various places, the situation "remained under control" in the valley.
Stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Khudwani, Kulgam, Iman Sahib, Shopian and Kakpora in south Kashmir. Kralpora, Kupwara, Trehgam, Langate, Lalpora, Putkha Sopore and Main Chowk Sopore in north Kashmir also reported incidents of stone pelting.
Reaching out to people, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sought their "support in pulling J&K out of the vortex of violence and bloodshed."
She said she needs people's support in realising the dream of a politically-emancipated, economically self-reliant and socially secure Jammu and Kashmir.
"The 27-year-long violence has left deep wounds in almost each home here and we have to jointly safeguard our state and our people from further bloodshed and destruction," she said after paying homage to the martyrs of 1931 at the Martyrs graveyard in Khawaja Bazar area of downtown Srinagar.
Commenting on the current unrest, Mehbooba said, "My heart is overwhelmed with great sadness and sorrow as a result of the killings in the latest spate of violence in Kashmir."
Asserting, "I won't let the people down, despite facing a challenging task", she said, "While my government's immediate priority would be to reach out to the affected families with a healing touch, in the long run a concerted effort shall have to be launched to make peace and stability a reality in J&K, with youth being the focus of the government's welfare initiatives."
Urging people not to "play with peace", she asked them not to fall prey to the machinations of those elements who want to disturb peace in the state.
"I think the biggest tribute to them would be to protect that peace and not fall prey to the machinations of those elements who want to disturb peace here," said Mehbooba who was accompanied by some of her Cabinet colleagues, legislators, party functionaries and top officers of the civil and police administration.
Meanwhile, militants fired at the vehicle of a Sub Divisional Police Officer in Shopian district but he escaped unhurt, police said.
Normal life remained affected due to the shutdown called by separatist groups to protest the civilian killings in the clashes with securityforces. The separatists today extended the shutdown by two more days till July 15.
Shops and business establishments remained closed while public and private transport remained off roads due to the strike.
Mobile Internet and train services remained suspended while mobile telephony has been snapped in Kupwara area.
Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained by police after they tried to defy restrictions and lead a march to Martyrs graveyard in downtown Srinagar.
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