While curfew like restrictions and separatist sponsored shut down call cripple life for 71st consecutive day Saturday, the killing of one more youth in clashes in theed Harwan in the outskirts of Srinagar late Friday evening the death toll in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir has risen to 86. Locals in New Theed Harwan who allege that the slain youth was chased by government forces late Friday evening said “the body of Nasir Shafi aka Momin, son of Muhammad Shafi, a resident of New Theed Harwan in Srinagar, was found near Sarband water reservoir in the area late last night”. They said body of the Nasir – a seventh grade student of Greenlight School Ishber - bore injuries caused by pellets and marks of torture. “He went missing around 5 pm when forces chased the protesters,” said a respectable of the area. Soon after the news of his death spread, people took to streets and staged nocturnal protests. “We will not bury the body till his postmortem is conducted,” the protestors said.Earlier today, thousands of people gathered in Harvan to attend the last rites of Ganai. Reports said massive clashes broke out in the area later. A police official, meanwhile, said that they were ascertaining the cause of the school boy's death.
In Ganderbal, a man was seriously injured after forces allegedly fired at protesters. A man was critically injured after government forces allegedly opened fire on protesters in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Saturday. The injured man, identified as Ghulam Mohudin Kuchey, 32, of Wussan, was shifted to Trauma Hospital Kangan where from he was referred to Bone and Joint Hospital Barzulla in Srinagar. Hospital officials said that they received Kuchey in a very critical condition. “Kuchey has received bullet in his left arm. He was referred to Srinagar for further treatment,” said the officials. Reports also said that at least six persons were injured when forces allegedly beat up protesters in the area.In Bijbehara area of South a police officer was among twelve people injured after government forces tried to foil a pro-freedom rally in the area. An official said that SDPO Bijbehara Tanveer Ahmad was injured in the clashes in Manhand area of Bijbehara.
Six persons were also injured in alleged thrashing by government forces in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday. Eye witnesses and reports said that forces barged into residential houses in SK Colony area and thrashed the inmates. Six people sustained injuries in these clashes, they said.As curfew-like restrictions and separatist-called shutdown crippled life on the 71 st consecutive day on Saturday, a police official said curfew has been imposed in the towns of Budgam and Pulwama in view of a call for a march issued by the separatists. "Curfew has been imposed in Harwan area of Srinagar city Saturdau morning while it remains in force in five police station areas of downtown (interior areas) city and Batamaloo," a police official said. All shops and other business establishments and educational institutions remained closed for the 71st consecutive day today. (KNS)