JAMMU & KASHMIR IS BURNING

The volatile situation in Jammu and Kashmir has taken another turn to the state of total chaos. Army was today called out on the streets of the city as nearly 16 persons were killed in clashes at curfew-bound Kishtwar area of the Jammu region.
Protestors led by Hurriyat leaders defied curfew restrictions and staged rallies. Police fired teargas shells today when the agitators pelted stones at security personnel in Kishtwar. The Army was called to assist police in the restoring normalcy after incidents of arson at some places.

Curfew defied
People simply defied curfew to trawl the streets and clash with troops in many towns in the valley. At Kishtwar in the plains there were all the makings of a communal clash about to break.
A worried Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for another all-party meeting Wednesday. He hopes to hammer out a viable formula that could be acceptable to people of both Jammu and the Kashmir area.
"The leaders met Tuesday but could not arrive at a workable formula or solution that would appease the people," said a senior government functionary.

Communal divide
For the last two months, both regions have been locked in unparalleled strife along communal lines. The troubles started over the transfer and subsequent revocation of 40 hectares of land in north Kashmir by the local government to the Amarnath Shrine Board. The board manages the pilgrimage to the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Waves of protests, shutdowns and violence first started in the Kashmir Valley. Similar developments followed in Jammu. Now, it’s back in the valley again. The whole of Jammu and Kashmir appears to be paralysed.

Firing, arson all-around
As trouble spread like the proverbial wildfire across the valley, incidents of firing were reported from Srinagar, from Lasjan on the outskirts of this summer capital as well as from the towns of Bandipora and Nagabal.
In Bandipora, three persons were killed when the army fired at people defying curfew. CRPF troopers also fired at a mob in the Nagabal area of north Kashmir Ganderbal district killing one person on the spot.
In Lasjan, three people were killed when the armed guard of senior People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Javaid Mustafa Mir fired in panic as the former minister was attacked by a mob.

Hindu's houses torched
Elsewhere in the summer capital, mobs torched some Hindu houses and destroyed vehicles in their rage against the economic blockade of the valley following the prolonged protests in Jammu.
Thousands of protesters reached the residence of the moderate Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, breaking the cordon imposed by the security forces who had been keeping him under house arrest. Many others did the same to let Syed Ali Geelani, head of the hardliner Hurriyat, out of his Hyderpora home.
Both led marches to the Jamia Mosque -- where the funeral of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz was being held.
A large procession led by the separatist Shia leader Aga Hassan Badgami also marched towards the Jamia mosque from Badgam district.
Hindus targetted
On Monday evening, indefinite curfew was imposed throughout the valley. It has made little difference to the protestors as of now.
Hindus and Muslims clashed in complete defiance of curfew restrictions imposed in the Muslim majority town. Two Hindu houses were torched in Kishtwar and mobs pelted stones while shouting anti-government slogans. However, the situation in the rest of Jammu province was calm.

Muslim rage
Unprecedented scenes of public rage are on the show across Kashmir. Sixteen Kashmiris have been killed since Tuesday morning taking the death toll in two days of uprising to 23. Hundreds more injured are battling for their lives in hospitals.
Anti-India protests have now spread to all major districts of Jammu region including Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch and curfew has been clamped there too.
Trouble spiraled out of control Monday after government forces tried to suppress the massive public demonstration on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway.
Seven persons were shot dead including a senior Hurriyat leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who was leading the march along with others.

Total chaos
The use of force however did not prevent people from taking the body of slain Hurriyat leader Seikh Aziz in a massive procession to Srinagar’s sprawling martyrs' cemetery.
In a show of unity, all top Hurriyat leaders, including Mirwaiz Farooq, Syed Ali Geelani and JKLF chief Yasin Malik joined the funeral prayers.
In Saidpora area on the Ali Jan Road one youth was killed when CRPF fired upon a procession.
Elsewhere in the summer capital, mobs torched some vehicles and houses belonging to Congress party and police officers in their rage against the brutal use of force on civilians.

Protests everywhere
The protests are not confined to Kashmir valley alone.
Curfew has been clamped on all but two districts of Jammu region where people took out processions in solidarity with the people in Kashmir valley.
Curfew has now been extended to Rajouri-Poonch, Doda and Baderwah, parts of Udhampur leaving only Jammu city and Samba in the state.
Hurriyat Conference has called upon people to continue protests, urging them to strictly follow the next course to be announced soon.

Separatist missing
Meanwhile whereabouts of senior Hurriyat leader, Shabbir Shah, who along with Sheikh Aziz was leading march to on Monday, are not known. A spokesman for the Democratic Freedom Party, of which Shah is supreme leader, said police is refusing to divulge his whereabouts.