Jammu/New Delhi: At least 40 people were injured in renewed violence in Kashmir on Wednesday as the authorities struggled to find a solution to the controversy over land grant to Amarnath shrine board.
As many as 15 people were injured in Pulwama in Kashmir when protesters clashed with the police. Four of the injured are critical.
A policeman was beaten and his motorcycle set afire as mobs attacked three police stations, destroyed a paramilitary bunker and torched a petrol tanker during curfew relaxation in Srinagar when three more people, wounded in Tuesday's firing, succumbed to their injuries in hospitals.
Three people injured in Tuesday's police and army firing in Srinagar succumbed to their injuries Wednesday morning, sources said. With this the death toll in Tuesday's violence reached 15.
Mourners carrying the bodies of two dead took processions to Qamarwari and Nowhatta areas of the city. The third dead was injured in firing incident by the army in north Kashmir's Bandipora district.
Curfew, imposed in the Kashmir Valley after large-scale violence on Monday when thousands tried to march towards Pakistan, was relaxed on Wednesday first from 8 a.m to 11 a.m. The relaxation was later extended till 2 p.m.
Mobs resorted to violence during the relaxation period.
Official sources said an angry mob stopped a policeman driving a motorcycle in Safa Kadal area of the old city during the curfew relaxation period.
"Although the policeman was in civvies, the mob identified him by his identity card. They set fire to his motorcycle and beat him up mercilessly," a police officer said.
Agitated protesters gathered near Safa Kadal, Rainawari and Bana Mohalla police stations of old Srinagar and pelted stones at them, said another police officer.
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"We are maintaining utmost restraint and trying to ensure that the situation is brought under control with minimum use of force," the police officer told IANS.
A mob of protesters torched a petrol tanker at Bemina on the city outskirts during the curfew relaxation period.
Another mob destroyed a paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bunker at Karan Nagar area one kilometre from the city centre Lal Chowk, but the CRPF troopers did not retaliate.
People also started taking out processions in the old city area.
A large number of people gathered in north Kashmir's Sopore town during the curfew relaxation. No report of violence has come in from there so far.
In Jammu, shoot-at-sight orders were issued in Kishtwar town rocked by communal clashes in which two persons died on Tuesday, official sources said.
Governor pleads for peace, highway opens
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra renewed his appeal to the people to maintain calm and expressed deep grief over the loss of life and damage to property in different parts of the state in the wake of violence over the Amarnath land row.
In a televised appeal through Doordarshan late Tuesday night, the Governor attributed the prevailing unrest to unfounded suspicions and misconceptions.
Vohra said he saw no justification in the 'Muzzafarabad Chalo Call' and said markets all over the country were eagerly waiting for fruits from Kashmir.
Traffic on Srinagar-Jammu National highway, the only road between Kashmir and India, was plying normally with nearly 600 vehicles carrying essential commodities and petroleum products reaching their destinations.
As many as 301 vehicles reached Jammu from Srinagar while 273 vehicles arrived in Srinagar till 0800 hours today, an official spokesman said.
(With inputs from IANS and PTI)
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