14 dead, 70 hurt in Valley's worst day of violence

[Sir john]

Fresh violence erupted in Kashmir on Monday leaving 14 dead including a policeman and over 70 injured with mobs torching several government properties and a private school, some of the trouble triggered by a television report alleging desecration of the Quran in the United States. The state cabinet, which met on Monday evening, condemned the alleged act of desecration and made a fervent appeal to the people not to take law in their own hands. In New Delhi [ Images ], Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ] voiced concern over the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ]. He also sought to reach out to the people in the state, saying their grievances have to be addressed and promised talks within the Indian Constitution with those who abjure violence. Five persons were killed and more than 20 others injured in firing by security forces at Tangmarg, 45 kms from Srinagar [ Images ], in Baramulla district after protesters went on a rampage setting ablaze a private school, run by a minority educational group, following the report of desecration. The mob torched a Block Development Office, court chamber, tehsildar's official vehicle and residence, social welfare office, patwari office and two huts of tourism department, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda told mediapersons. The agitators then attacked a police station and tried to ransack it, prompting the security forces to fire at them. While two youths -- Muddasir Ahmad Parray and Abdul Majid -- were declared dead at the nearby Magam Sub District Hospital, another youth succumbed to injuries at a city hospital in Srinagar. He has been identified as Abdul Qayoom, officials at the hospitals said. Two injured youths, identified as Afaq Ahmad Khan and Tariq Ahmad Ganai, were declared dead on arrival at a city hospital. Another mob attacked a security forces camp at Humhama in Budgam district, prompting retaliatory fire in which two were killed. In Charar-e-Sharief, protesters pelted stones at a Central Reserve Police Force camp, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Rafi Ahmed said. The CRPF personnel resorted to firing to disperse the mob. Seven persons were injured on of whom succumbed to his injuries. A woman died on the spot when she was hit by a stray bullet inside her residential compound at Ompora in Budgam. A policeman, Devender Singh, was killed when he was run over by a vehicle while chasing a stone-pelting mob also in Budgam. In another clash in Bandipora, one person was killed and two others injured when security forces opened fire to quell a stone-pelting mob, police said. Three other persons lost their lives in clashes in Pampore town of Pulwama district and other parts of the Valley The state government banned broadcast of all local cable news channels. It also banned international news channel, Press TV, after it aired the report about alleged desecration of the holy book. "The transmission of Press TV in Jammu and Kashmir has been banned with immediate effect," State Chief Secretary S S Kapur told mediapersons in Srinagar. He said the move was prompted after reports of the alleged sacrilege act. Also the channel was not registered with the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry as required by law. "We believe there is a gameplan. We appeal to the good sense of the people in Kashmir. Please don't take law in your own hands in this matter. Please cooperate with the administration," he said. In New Delhi, the US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer expressed dismay over the violence following reports of 'a misguided individual desecrating the Quran.' Meanwhile, chairman of hardline Hurriyat faction Syed Ali Shah Geelani [ Images ] condemned the torching of the private school and appealed to the people to safeguard the property and life of the minorities in the Valley. "Geelani strongly condemns the burning of a private school at Tangmarg. It is our religious duty to safeguard the property and life of the minorities," party spokesman Ayaz Akbar said.

[Sir john]

Srinagar under curfew, Valley reacts violently Minister’s house attacked, 20 hurt in clashes Security forces fired in the air and lobbed teargas shells after a mob attacked a J &K minister’s house on a day when 20 persons were injured in clashes in the Valley and curfew was reimposed here and six other towns. A mob comprising 300 persons attacked the house of Education Minister Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed in Anantnag. As per sources, the minister was inside the house when the attack took place. “Security personnel initially used batons and teargas shells to disperse the violent mob, but after the stone pelters resorted to violence, they had to open fire,” said police. Five persons were injured in the clash. Meanwhile, curfew, which had been lifted from the entire Kashmir valley on September 9 ahead of Eid, was reimposed in Srinagar city, south Kashmir towns of Anantnag, Bijbehara Pulwama, Kakapora and Sopore and Baramulla towns in the north, sources said. The decision to clamp curfew in the city and other parts of the Valley was taken after a high-level meeting of civil and security forces officials here last night, they said. Meanwhile, protesters defied curfew and resorted to heavy stone pelting and attacked the police and security forces camps in various areas. At Wangam village in Kralgund, Handwara, protesters set ablaze Government Middle School. Stones were hurled at security forces at Drangbal in Pampore and also in Sabzi Mundi, Soura, and Gowkadal, Srinagar. Protesters also threw stones on Police Post, Pothkhak, Sopore. In Baramulla, eight policemen were injured when protesters threw stones at them. One CRPF mobile bunker was also attacked with a petrol bomb. Protesters also tried to attack Police Lines, Awantipora.

[maverick.rules]

"some of the trouble triggered by a television report alleging desecration of the Quran in the United States." If this was done in US, what was the need to burn Kashmir. God knows when will these people understand....