Kashmir: One killed in police firing

Published on Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 13:36, Updated at Thu, Aug 14, 2008 in Nation section

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir continues to remain on the edge with violence showing no signs of abating. Anarchy ruled Srinagar streets on Wednesday with protests rocking downtown areas. The tension spilled over to Thursday when various incidents of violence were reported from across the city.
People poured out on to the streets after rumours of the CRPF barging into homes and assaulting people started doing the rounds in the sensitive areas of Rozabal, Safakdal, Kamangarpora and Zaina Kadal.
The CRPF says it's looking into the complaint.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service – a symbol of the Indo-Pak peace process – has been indefinitely suspended because of the unrest and curfew.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that reports of an economic blockade are wrong.
The Home Ministry says 236 trucks carrying essential items have successfully crossed Jawahar bridge into Kashmir.
Meanwhile, one person was killed and four others wounded when security forces opened fire on protesters at Safakadal in Srinagar, official sources said.
The deceased has been identified as Shabir Ahmad Handoo, a mobile repair technician of the locality.
Sources said the firing took place when protesters turned violent and attacked a police station with stones.
They were protesting against alleged high handedness of security forces while dealing with the agitation against the "economic blockade" in the wake of the Amarnath land row.
They said a police vehicle was also set on fire by an agitating crowd at Rawalpora on the outskirts of the city.

It is ironical that Kashmiri Muslims want the road to Pakistan opened up to facilitate business (and more, of course) but do not want to provide any facilities to the pilgrims to Amarnath, at least not by allotting 100 acres for this purpose. I say let them agree to allotting 100 acres to Amarnath shrine first before thinking of opening the road to Pakistan, which is fraught with anti-national consequences.