Eight killed in fresh clashes in Indian-administered Kashmir

Eight people have been killed and at least 200 others injured in fresh clashes between protesters and police in the Indian-administered Kashmir.

A top police official in Kashmir said Saturday that seven protesters were killed by government forces and one drowned in a river.

Other sources said at least 200 people, including 90 government forces, were injured during the clashes. A staff member at a hospital in the southern town of Anantnag said six of those wounded were in critical condition.

The clashes came after residents of Kashmir held a funeral for Burhan Wani, the young leader of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), who was killed on Friday along with two other people during a brief gun battle with government forces.

Wani’s body was handed over to his family earlier on Saturday and locals, who see the slain 22-year old as a hero, turned the mass funeral to a major protest.

Tens of thousands chanted independence slogans while some fired pistol shots in honor of Wani.

"It was a sea of people shouting slogans in favor of freedom from India," one protester said.

A major curfew was in place while authorities suspended mobile networks and the internet to prevent large-scale demonstrations.

However, tensions boiled and clashes began after police fired tear gas canisters and live ammunition at protesters in several places.

Witnesses said protesters torched police stations and threw rocks at army camps in the south of Kashmir.

Heavy police presence could be seen in the main city of Srinagar, where people were ordered to stay indoors.

The death of Wani sparked street protests across Kashmir throughout the Friday night. In a rare incident, mosques’ loudspeakers were blared with “Azadi” (freedom from Indian rule) in most areas, including Srinagar.

“Aftr many yrs I hear slogans for 'Azadi' resonate from the mosque in my uptown Srinagar locality,” former chief minister of Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, wrote on his Twitter page. “Kashmir's disaffected got a new icon y'day.”

Major groups known for their resistance against the Indian rule have declared three days of mourning.

Kashmir, a Himalayan region known for its beautiful landscapes, lies at the heart of more than 69 years of hostility between India and Pakistan. Both neighbors claim the region in full but have partial control over it. India controls two thirds of Kashmir while the remaining one third is under the Pakistani rule.

The neighbors agreed on a ceasefire in 2003, and launched a peace process the following year. Since then, there have been sporadic clashes, with both sides accusing the other of violating the ceasefire.

Thousands of people have been killed in the violence in Kashmir over the past two decades.

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