Police quell protests over Kashmiri youth's killing

While normalcy returned to most districts of Kashmir Valley on Monday after two days of protests, undeclared curfew continued in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, where a teenage boy was allegedly shot dead by police on Friday evening.

The situation in Srinagar returned to normal after authorities lifted restrictions. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel even celebrated Holi at several places in the Valley.

However, apprehending protests and clashes over the killing of Farhat Ahmad Dar, authorities continued the imposition of curfew in many areas of Bandipora district for the third consecutive day on Monday.

Reports said police and paramilitary forces wearing riot gear were deployed in strength to Hajin, Naidkhai, Sumbal and the main Bandipora township to restrict the movement of people. Locals told Deccan Herald over phone that police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers announced the curfew early on Monday. Clashes broke out in several areas of the district as angry youth engaged security forces in pitched battles despite rainfall, locals said.

Police, however, said there was a “small clash” in the main market. “But curfew prevailed throughout the day,” an official said. However, locals in the Hajan and Naidkhai areas alleged that CRPF personnel barged into their homes and damaged property.

Meanwhile, pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was detained by police ahead of his protest call for the sit-in at Lal Chowk here against the Bandipora killing.