Kashmir rocked by protests as rebels die in raid
GOVERNMENT FORCES have killed five rebels in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said, while a second day of anti-India protests and clashes left five civilians dead and dozens injured in the disputed region.
Hundreds of villagers threw rocks at Indian troops in a bid to help rebels who were trapped in a house in southern Shopian area.
Counter-insurgency officers and soldiers had cordoned off the village following intelligence that militants were hiding there.
As the rebels and soldiers fought, government forces also fired bullets, shotgun pellets and tear gas at protesters trying to reach the site.
Five civilians were killed, one a teenage boy, and at least 50 others were wounded.
It was the second straight day of intense unrest in the region, which India and Pakistan administer parts of but both claim in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding Indian-controlled Kashmir be made part of Pakistan or become an independent country.
Most Kashmiris support the rebel cause while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.
In recent years, young Kashmiris have displayed open solidarity with rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations. Last year, at least 29 civilians were killed and hundreds were wounded during such clashes.
On Saturday, Indian troops killed three suspected rebels during a gunbattle in Srinagar, while one civilian was killed when a police armoured vehicle ran over him during clashes with government forces. Another three men were killed in shootings the police blamed on rebels.
Businesses were shuttered in most parts of Kashmir yesterday after separatists called for a strike to protest the previous day’s deaths. Internet on mobile phones also remained suspended for a second day, to make organising protests difficult.
Armed police and paramilitary soldiers patrolled across the region and also enforced a security lockdown in old parts of Srinagar, the urban heart of anti-India protests.
After several hours of fighting, five militants were killed and a policeman and a soldier wounded. Among those killed were a top rebel commander and a university assistant professor who joined the militants just two days before.
A final message from sociology teacher, Mohammed Rafi Bhat, to his family said: “Please forgive me if I hurt anyone,” as he asked his father to prepare for funeral rites.