Srinagar, February 16
One person was killed and several others injured when the police opened fire and lobbed teargas shells in the Lal Chowk area here today to disperse demonstrators protesting against the killing of four civilians at Haigam, Baramula yesterday. The protesters pelted stones damaging a number of vehicles. A curfew was imposed in the Civil Lines area.

Protests were also held at Haigam, Sopore and Baramula against yesterday’s killings amid a general strike call by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). Reports from Baramula said that the police resorted to a lathi charge in Baramula, Sopore and Haigam to quell the protesters, indulging in stone pelting. Similar reports came in from other areas, including Soura and other localities in Srinagar city. The residents of Maisuma defied curfew restrictions after the body of Javed Ahmad Nath was being taken for the burial.

Javed Ahmad Nath was killed and three others were injured, according to the police at Maisuma here this morning. “The cause of death of Javed Ahmad is being investigated”, a police spokesman stated.

The police, however, did not clarify the cause of firing. Sources said an official had been held responsible and taken into custody for the firing on the demonstrators leading to the death of one civilian. Later the curfew restrictions were imposed in the Maisuma, Lal Chowk, Hari Singh High Street and Budshah Chowk areas of Srinagar as a precautionary measure following stone pelting by unruly mobs, the police said.

The police here said that processions were taken out at Baramula and from Pattan to Haigam on the highway on Friday in connection with the killings of four persons and injuries to several others yesterday. The situation in the entire valley was under control and being watched, a police spokesman stated.

Meanwhile, a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident of the firing by the Army at Haigam yesterday.