Sept 13 (NIA) – Two people were killed and several others injured when fresh clashes erupted in Indian controlled Kashmir on Tuesday as families prepared to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid Ul Adha.
Security forces fired tear gas and shotgun pellets to quell protesters in the Bandipora area of northern Kashmir and Shopian in the south, as well as in Srinagar, the region’s main city, a police officer said.
Demonstrations took place in dozens of places in the region, which has been wracked by massive protests since July.
Indian officials imposed a curfew in 10 states across the region, and roads leading to several mosques had been blocked, preventing people from taking part in Eid prayers. Mobile data services had also been stopped.
Indian officials said the shutdown was to prevent plans by separatist groups to march to the United Nations military observers’ office in Srinagar, which has been set up to monitor a cease-fire between India and Pakistan.
Residents in the area said curfew on Eid festival was extremely rare in Indian controlled Kashmir.
Police in a statement said on Tuesday that authorities used drones and helicopters for surveillance in the region, which has been hit by protests for two months following the killing of a popular rebel leader in July.
At least 78 civilians have been killed since then and thousands wounded in violence, mostly by government forces firing bullets and pellets. Two policemen have also been killed and hundreds of others injured in the clashes.
