Kashmir unrest: Two more killed in Lasjan

Jammu & KashmirSrinagar, Aug 12: Two more protesters were killed in firing by security forces in Lasjan on the outskirts of Srinagar, taking the toll to five in today’s fresh violence during protests against the Jammu and Kashmir Police action on Monday in which a senior Hurriyat Conference leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz was killed.

While three persons were killed and at least eight others injured in the firing in Aribal in Watlab area of Bandipora District, two protesters died and another was wounded as police opened fire in Lasjan on the outskirts of Srinagar, official sources said.

The Kashmir Valley continues to be restive following Hurriyat Conference leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz’s death in police firing on Monday during a protest march moving towards Muzaffarabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) over the Amarnath land row.

In the wake of latest round of violence, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will convene a second all-party meeting on Wednesday on the issue.

After failing to reach consensus on Monday, an 18-party delegation led by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil is meeting in Delhi today to attempt to resolve the issue. After the meeting, Patil is expected to apprise the Prime Minister about the deliberations.

Meanwhile, the Army has been kept on standby in the Kashmir Valley as the situation is tense. Curfew was first imposed in Srinagar, but later clamped across the entire district after authorities anticipated trouble following the death of Aziz

Aziz''s body was taken to Jamia Masjid in the interior of the city and is likely to be buried in the Eidgah Martyrs'' Graveyard today. Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq is demanding that the curfew be lifted to facilitate mourners to pay their last respects to Aziz.

Meanwhile, Seven policemen, including an IPS officer, were injured today when the service weapon of a personal security officer of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Javid Mustafa Mir went off accidentally during protests in the Lasjan area of Srinagar.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Saddar Area) Mahesh Kumar was among the seven policemen injured, official sources said.

Kumar was hit in the leg and has been admitted to a hospital. Police are trying to ascertain the cause for the incident. (ANI)

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