Protests go on in Kashmir, army urges calm
Protests go on in Kashmir, army urges calm
SRINAGAR, India (REUTERS): The Indian army appealed on Sunday for an end to violence in Kashmir as authorities imposed a curfew for the third day running amid continuing street protests in the disputed state.
Stone-throwing youths clashed with police in several parts of Kashmir's main city as protests sparked by Thursday's killing of civilians by security forces simmered on.
At least four areas of summer capital Srinagar were placed under curfew, authorities said.
"Reiterating our sincere condolences to the bereaved families and regrets over these unfortunate incidents, I fervently appeal to the people of Kashmir to abjure this agitation and violence," Lt. Gen. J.R. Mukherjee, the commander of India's army in Kashmir, told a news conference.
Four people were killed and 17 wounded on Thursday when soldiers escorting a military convoy fired at an angry crowd at Haigam, where residents were protesting against the detention and killing of another villager earlier in the week.
Another person was killed on Friday in Srinagar when a security official opened fire on an angry crowd protesting against the Haigam killings. Police say the officer acted in panic.
About 25 people, many of them policemen, were injured on Saturday as stone-pelting protesters clashed with security forces in the third successive day of protests.
Last week's violence came on top of a series of guerrilla attacks by hard-line groups that rejected New Delhi's unilateral ceasefire against Kashmiri separatists aimed at reviving peace talks.
India's cabinet committee on security was scheduled to meet later on Sunday to review the ceasefire, which has been extended twice after being launched last November to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan.
The ceasefire is due to expire on Feb. 26. "We must make all out efforts jointly to give the peace process a chance to succeed and join hands to counter those who, we are all well aware, are instigating violence in a bid to derail the peace process," Mukherjee said.
"On our part, I give you my solemn word that those of my men who are blameworthy will be brought to book and be dealt with according to the law," he added.
The state government of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday ordered a judicial probe into the killings.
More than 30,000 people have been killed in a 11-year-old revolt against Indian rule in the state, the only Muslim majority province in mainly Hindu India.
In a new development, a group of leading Pakistani Kashmiris said on Sunday they planned to attend an unprecedented peace meeting in Indian-ruled Kashmir of politicians from both sides of the disputed Himalayan region.
The Pakistani Kashmiris said more than 60 politicians and intellectuals from the Pakistani side had been invited to a March 17-18 conference in Jammu being organized by former Kashmir state chief minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah.
Amanullah Khan, chairman of the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, who is coordinating the planned trip, told Reuters he thought Indian authorities had assured Shah there would be no "undue hurdles" to the meeting.
Khan said the meeting was designed to work out a formula to solve the 53-year-old Kashmir dispute, the cause of two of three wars between India and Pakistan and an 11-year-old revolt in Indian Kashmir that has left at least 30,000 people dead.