Locals Frown At The Killing Of Four Protesters In India

Protest turned violent in Doda district of India’s Kashmir on Friday as locals indulged in stone pelting against killing of four youth by paramilitary forces, the Border Security Force (BSF) who opened fire on demonstrating locals.

Indian paramilitary soldiers fired at protesters in the Kashmir region on Thursday (July 18), killing four and wounding 40 others.

Protesters also clashed with police in Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, 175 km (110 miles) from where the shooting took place, and some blocked the main road south to the city of Jammu.

According to locals the BSF personnel had barged into an Islamic school in Dadad village of Ramban district on Wednesday (July 17) night where they had beaten students as well as thrashed a local clergyman and desecrated the Holy Koran.

A strict curfew has been imposed across the valley in order to prevent ant untoward incident.

The separatists had called for a shutdown following the Ramban incident.

This incident has also led to tension in the nearby areas, resulting in violent protest in Doda district.

The BSF has been denying the allegations saying that they fired in self-defence when protesters stormed their camp.

India’s Interior Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde has already ordered for a probe.

The Amarnath Yatra has been halted following tension and protests in Ramban and nearby regions, while the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was also closed for a few hours on Thursday.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, both of which claim all of the territory. They have fought two of their three wars over the region and India accuses Pakistan of supporting separatist rebels fighting its rule in its part of Kashmir since 1989.

Muslim Pakistan denies arming the rebels, saying it only offers them political support.