SRINAGAR: The Indian government imposed a curfew in Occupied Kashmir on Friday and blocked mobile phone services to stop people from gathering in the streets and stage violent protests over the killing of a young separatist commander by security forces.
At least 40 people have been killed and over 3,100 wounded including women and children in firing by police and security forces. Most of them were shot with pallets fired by the Indian security forces.
Forces were deployed in Srinagar to enforce the curfew as well as Anantnag district in the south where Burhan Wani, idolised by Kashmir youth, was killed in a security operation.
Only people involved in medical emergencies would be allowed to travel, the state government said in a statement to head off protests after Friday prayers.
On Thursday, protesters set fire to a house in Anantnag in which Wani and his associates were killed after a gun battle with government forces, a government spokesman said.
Militant attacks in Occupied Kashmir have fallen and are nowhere near the levels of the 1990s when Hizbul Mujahideen and other separatist groups targeted security forces with blasts and gun battles.
But separatist leaders say Kashmiris remain alienated and have repeatedly called for three-way talks, including Pakistan, to address grievances.
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