Six wounded in south Kashmir violence

SRINAGAR - Six people were wounded, two with bullet injuries, in clashes between protesters and security forces Tuesday during the funeral of two separatist guerrillas who were killed in a gunbattle in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

A senior police officer said the trouble erupted when mobs threw stones at police and the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) while the bodies of the two Hizbul Mujahedin guerrillas killed in a shootout with security forces Monday were being buried in their native village in Kulgam, 64 km from here.

Hundreds of people shouting pro-freedom slogans gathered in Redwani village where the authorities had imposed restrictions to maintain law and order. The mourners tried to march to the adjoining Rampura village where the body of another militant was being buried.

However, the security forces intervened and tried to stop the protesters, who according to police, started throwing stones.

Initially, the security forces used tear smoke and batons to disperse the protesters.

Security forces later opened fire.

A police officer said six people were injured in the violence in Radwani village, including two with bullet injuries.

The injured were taken to the district hospital in Anantnag where doctors referred five of them to Srinagar for specialised treatment.

High tension has gripped the area and senior police officers have rushed to the spot with more reinforcements.