J&K: Mobile services suspended, tension spreads to Anantnag

     Mobile services have been suspended in north Kashmir and SMS services have been blocked in the entire Valley, with the situation remaining tense on Tuesday morning. Sources said this has been done to stop rumour mongering in an already incendiary situation.  

In Sopore, the town worst hit by violent protests over civilian deaths allegedly in the use of force by CRPF against agitators, there is indefinite curfew since Friday and it would continue to be in place, sources say. Restrictions under Section 144, which prohibits assembly of more than four persons, are in place in and around Srinagar and Baramulla. Additional companies of the CRPF have been deployed in Sopore.

The tension in the north and central parts of the valley has spread to south Kashmir where curfew like restrictions have been imposed in Anantnag after one person was injured in firing by security forces.

Crowds assembled at Mattan bus stand in Anantnag on Tuesday morning to protest the killing of five youths in Sopore and Baramulla, in alleged firing by CRPF.

Police and paramilitary forces deployed in the town asked them to disperse but when they refused to budge, they fired tear gas shells and batons to disperse them. Protestors then pelted stones at security forces and in the ensuing clashes, one person was injured.

The J&K government has asked the Centre for help and said last evening that the Army could be called in if the situation was not brought under control soon. But there has been no Army deployment for riot or crowd control. Sources said the Army and Rashtriya Rifles would continue mobile patrolling for counter-insurgency as usual in Sopore, Baramulla and the surrounding areas.Protests are on in Delina, in Baramullah where a nine-year-old boy was killed in CRPF firing yesterday. On Monday morning, a crowd had gathered for the funeral of a youth, 20-year-old Bilal Ahmad Wani, who was killed in Sopore on Sunday, allegedly hit by a rubber bullet fired from a CRPF picket. Raising anti-government and pro-freedom slogans, nearly 4,000 protestors carried Bilal's body and marched on the streets of the town.

The funeral procession turned violent and five people were injured in CRPF firing. Soon, protesters marching near Sopore clashed with the police. As they headed towards a CRPF post, a jawan fired from the picket killing another 20-year-old, Tajamul.

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