Burhan Wani’s killing: 8 killed as protests hit Valley, mobs attack police, paramilitary camps

“It is very unfortunate that young lives were lost in clashes,” Sahai said, appealing to parents to restrain their children from participating in such protests.

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Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Javed Mujtaba Geelani, who accompanied Sahai, said three of their men were missing and many others injured, and that analysis would be done “whether the force used was justified”.

“We have had a very difficult day today,” Sahai said, adding that the situation was “bad in certain segments”, “not critical” in areas like north Kashmir, and under control in Srinagar.

Violence swept all the major towns of Kashmir, despite authorities imposing curfew-like restrictions, suspending mobile Internet services, and using teargas shelling and opening aerial firing.

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Thousands of people participated in absentia prayers held across the Valley for Wani, while many others went to Tral to attend his funeral.

Violent mobs attacked installations of police and paramilitary forces at various places and set ablaze several buildings, following which three police officials remained missing.

Police officials said protesters had tried to enter security camps in south Kashmir and attacked 20 government buildings. Camps at Sangam, Larnoo, Seer, Gopalpora, Minority Camp Mattan, Kokernag, Dooru and Janglat Mandi were among those attacked, Sahai said.

In Kulgam district in the area, the house of a BJP leader who had contested the 2014 Assembly elections was attacked.

The ADGP claimed militants were trying to “superimpose their attacks” on public protests, and that there had been a militant attack on District Police Lines in Pulwama which the security forces had thwarted.

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Replying to a volley of questions, including on why Wani was not caught alive instead of being gunned down, Sahai said, “We certainly don’t want to kill youngsters of our own society.”

He said the Hizb commander and two others had got killed when security forces retaliated after being fired upon by them from inside a house in which they were hiding. Two security personnel were injured in that firing, he said.

The Valley also witnessed a complete shutdown as separatist leaders had called for a strike to protest against Wani’s killing. The call has been extended by the separatist leadership for two more days.

Officials said several exams have been postponed in view of the tense situation. The Srinagar-Baramulla and Srinagar-Anantnag national highways are closed as protesters have blocked the roads. Train services in Kashmir too have been suspended till further orders.

Srinagar’s two major hospitals Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) and Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Hospital reported receiving at least 70 injured patients.

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An official of SKIMS said most of their 19 patients had been injured in the head and chest. Medical Superintendent Dr Farooq Jan said, “Three are critical, while one died at the hospital.”

At SMHS, which received 50 injured, one died while four were critical, said Medical Superintendent Nazir Malik.

Of the eight dead, six have been identified, including Amir Bashir Khan from Verinag, Saqib Manzoor Khundroo  from Achabal, Yawar Manzoor from Achabal, Aijaz Ahmad Thakur from Ashmuqam, Mohammed Ashiq Dar from Kokernag, and Showkat Ahmad of Arwani.