Strongly hitting back at Pakistan for raising the issue of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in the United Nations (UN), India has said Pakistan &quot;extols&quot; the &quot;virtues&quot; of terrorists and uses terrorism as a state policy towards the &quot;misguided end&quot; of coveting the territory of others. 
 
India&#39;s Ambassador to the UN Syed Akbaruddin responded strongly to the remarks made by Pakistan&#39;s envoy Maleeha Lodhi on Kashmir and Wani&#39;s killing during a debate on human rights in the 193-member UN General Assembly here yesterday. 
 
In her statement, Lodhi, apart from raising the Kashmir issue, also mentioned the &quot;extrajudicial&quot; killing of Wani, whom she described as a &quot;Kashmiri leader&quot;, by Indian forces. 
 
In his statement, which sources here termed as perhaps the hardest-hitting against Pakistan in recent times, Akbaruddin said Pakistan &quot;extols&quot; the virtues of terrorists and could not gain membership of the UN&#39;s human rights body because of its &quot;track record&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Lashing out at Lodhi&#39;s raising of the Kashmir issue at the multi-lateral world body, Akbaruddin said it is regrettable that Pakistan attempted to &quot;misuse&quot; the UN platform. 
 
&quot;Regrettably, earlier today, we have seen an attempt at misuse of this UN platform. The attempt came from Pakistan; a country that covets the territory of others; a country that uses terrorism as state policy towards that misguided end; a country that extols the virtues of terrorists and that provides sanctuary to UN-designated terrorists; and a country that masquerades its efforts as support for human rights and self determination,&quot; he said. 
 
Akbaruddin asserted that Pakistan&#39;s &quot;track record&quot; failed to convince the international community that it should gain membership of the Human Rights Council in this very session of the UNGA. 
 
&quot;Pakistan, is the same country whose track record has failed to convince the international community to gain membership of the Human Rights Council in this very Session of the UNGA. The international community has long seen through such designs. Cynical attempts, like the one this morning therefore, find no resonance in this forum or elsewhere in the United Nations,&quot; he said. 
 
(PTI)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Pakistan envoy mentions the 'extrajudicial' killiing of 'Kashmiri leader' Burhan Wani, India retorts Pak 'extols the virtue of terrorists'

Strongly hitting back at Pakistan for raising the issue of the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in the United Nations (UN), India has said Pakistan "extols" the "virtues" of terrorists and uses terrorism as a state policy towards the "misguided end" of coveting the territory of others. India's Ambassador to the UN Syed Akbaruddin responded strongly to the remarks made by Pakistan's envoy Maleeha Lodhi on Kashmir and Wani's killing during a debate on human rights in the 193-member UN General Assembly here yesterday. In her statement, Lodhi, apart from raising the Kashmir issue, also mentioned the "extrajudicial" killing of Wani, whom she described as a "Kashmiri leader", by Indian forces. In his statement, which sources here termed as perhaps the hardest-hitting against Pakistan in recent times, Akbaruddin said Pakistan "extols" the virtues of terrorists and could not gain membership of the UN's human rights body because of its "track record". Lashing out at Lodhi's raising of the Kashmir issue at the multi-lateral world body, Akbaruddin said it is regrettable that Pakistan attempted to "misuse" the UN platform. "Regrettably, earlier today, we have seen an attempt at misuse of this UN platform. The attempt came from Pakistan; a country that covets the territory of others; a country that uses terrorism as state policy towards that misguided end; a country that extols the virtues of terrorists and that provides sanctuary to UN-designated terrorists; and a country that masquerades its efforts as support for human rights and self determination," he said. Akbaruddin asserted that Pakistan's "track record" failed to convince the international community that it should gain membership of the Human Rights Council in this very session of the UNGA. "Pakistan, is the same country whose track record has failed to convince the international community to gain membership of the Human Rights Council in this very Session of the UNGA. The international community has long seen through such designs. Cynical attempts, like the one this morning therefore, find no resonance in this forum or elsewhere in the United Nations," he said. (PTI)

India & Pakistan go tit-for-tat at UN

Indian-administered Kashmir&#39;s main hospital struggled to treat hundreds of patients wounded in four days of clashes today, as medics warned that many could lose their eyesight from shotgun injuries. 
 
As the overall death toll from the violence rose to 32, ambulances continued to deliver more victims to Srinagar&#39;s Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) where patients were sometimes forced to share beds. 
 
An administrator said staff had been ordered not to speak to the press but wards were crammed with young boys and men, many of whom had suffered serious eye injuries caused by the firing of pellets by Indian troops. 
 
An AFP correspondent who toured the teeming wards saw two patients to a bed, as doctors worked non-stop. 
 
&quot;Doctors are working in operating theatres round-the-clock. We&#39;ve operated on 90 for serious eye injuries since Saturday morning,&quot; said a doctor in SMHS where many volunteers were helping to tend to the injured. 
 
&quot;Most of them have lost their eyesight in one eye. They are going to walk out of the hospital as one-eyed boys,&quot; the doctor added. 
 
One of the youngsters told AFP he had been injured when paramilitary troops opened fire at him and a group of his friends with pellet guns as they walked out of a mosque in Srinagar on Friday evening. 
 
&quot;I can&#39;t see anything right now,&quot; the boy said, declining to give his name as he wiped away tears that were dripping out of the sides of his bandaged eyes. 
 
A senior state administrator said at least 1,000 people have been injured in the clashes in Kashmir, which is India&#39;s only Muslim-majority state, since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed last Friday. 
 
Much of the worst violence has been in the south of the capital Srinagar where security forces have used live fire, non-lethal pellet guns as well as tear gas to disperse crowds. 
 
On Monday, hundreds of protesters tried to storm a military airbase about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Srinagar before being repelled. 
 
While there were fresh clashes Tuesday, the violence was on a much smaller scale than previously. Two people died in hospital from injuries they had sustained earlier, raising the toll to 32. 
 
The death of 22-year-old Wani, a poster boy for the region&#39;s biggest rebel group, has sparked the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule. 
 
Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several separatist groups which have been fighting for decades against the hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed in the disputed region. 
 
Tens of thousands have died in the fighting since 1989. 
 
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim the picturesque Himalayan territory in its entirety. 
 
(AFP)

Doctors work non-stop, patients share beds. A senior state administrator says at least a 1,000 injured in four days of clashes

Indian-administered Kashmir's main hospital struggled to treat hundreds of patients wounded in four days of clashes today, as medics warned that many could lose their eyesight from shotgun injuries. As the overall death toll from the violence rose to 32, ambulances continued to deliver more victims to Srinagar's Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS) where patients were sometimes forced to share beds. An administrator said staff had been ordered not to speak to the press but wards were crammed with young boys and men, many of whom had suffered serious eye injuries caused by the firing of pellets by Indian troops. An AFP correspondent who toured the teeming wards saw two patients to a bed, as doctors worked non-stop. "Doctors are working in operating theatres round-the-clock. We've operated on 90 for serious eye injuries since Saturday morning," said a doctor in SMHS where many volunteers were helping to tend to the injured. "Most of them have lost their eyesight in one eye. They are going to walk out of the hospital as one-eyed boys," the doctor added. One of the youngsters told AFP he had been injured when paramilitary troops opened fire at him and a group of his friends with pellet guns as they walked out of a mosque in Srinagar on Friday evening. "I can't see anything right now," the boy said, declining to give his name as he wiped away tears that were dripping out of the sides of his bandaged eyes. A senior state administrator said at least 1,000 people have been injured in the clashes in Kashmir, which is India's only Muslim-majority state, since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed last Friday. Much of the worst violence has been in the south of the capital Srinagar where security forces have used live fire, non-lethal pellet guns as well as tear gas to disperse crowds. On Monday, hundreds of protesters tried to storm a military airbase about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Srinagar before being repelled. While there were fresh clashes Tuesday, the violence was on a much smaller scale than previously. Two people died in hospital from injuries they had sustained earlier, raising the toll to 32. The death of 22-year-old Wani, a poster boy for the region's biggest rebel group, has sparked the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule. Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several separatist groups which have been fighting for decades against the hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed in the disputed region. Tens of thousands have died in the fighting since 1989. Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim the picturesque Himalayan territory in its entirety. (AFP)

Kashmir's main hospital struggles as patients continue to stream in

Ensuing violence in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, after a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander was killed last week, has claimed at least 30 lives, leaving nearly 350 people injured whilst unrest refuses to die down.&nbsp; 
 
The Muslim-majority valley of Kashmir has been placed under strict curfew over past three days paralysing normal life in most parts. Mobile internet services also remain suspended for third day running.&nbsp; 
 
In some parts of the valley, however, people have been defying restrictions triggering further clashes.&nbsp; 
 
Situation worsens in southern Kashmir&nbsp; 
 
Twenty one years old Burhan Wani, tipped as the face of new-age militancy in Kashmir, was killed earlier on Friday in an encounter in Kokernag area. Wani hailed from a village in Tral in South Kashmir, where most of his associates were based. He gained popularity through social media network.&nbsp; 
 
After his killing, tens of thousands of locals joined his funeral prayers across the disputed region. 
 
A majority of agitators, who died in last three days, belong to southern part of Kashmir, where the situation has worsened amid growing unrest.&nbsp; 
 
In summer capital Srinagar, situation further deteriorated on Sunday evening after the death of a youth.&nbsp; 
 
Tension has gripped other parts of the valley as well.&nbsp;&quot;There are clashes going on in our area between forces and locals, especially youth. So far, there is no eventuality but the situation doesn&#39;t seem to be getting better anytime soon,&quot; Owais, a resident of Bandipora in north Kashmir told Wion over phone. 
 
 
&#39;Medical emergency&#39; declared by government-run hospital in Srinagar 
 
The number of injured has also risen putting a pressure on government hospitals in the state.&nbsp; 
 
A &lsquo;medical emergency&rsquo; was declared by a government-run city hospital in Srinagar on Sunday in wake of the situation.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;The situation is very bad as we continue to receive cases of injuries from across the valley. The hospital has received nearly 200 injured patients in two days. Many of them suffered bullet injuries and with wounds from lethal weapons like pellet guns,&rdquo; Sri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital&#39;s Dr Adil Ashraf said. Routine admissions, theater and leaves of the doctors have been cancelled here.&nbsp; 
 
According to Dr Aadil, president, Residents Doctors Association at SMHS and associated hospitals, the government forces resorted to tear gas shelling inside hospital premises. 
 
&quot;Four lung disease patients were being treated in the emergency room when police resorted to tear gas shelling leading to severe suffocation of patients,&quot; he said. 
 
A local, Mehraj Din, who was attending a 70-year-old man inside the hospital, claimed the police have beaten attendants inside the hospital. &quot;This will make the suituation only worse as there is already too much anger among locals,&quot; he said. 
 
The hospital administration added the staff received calls from many doctors that ambulances were not allowed by Indian forces at several places adding to not only the &#39;shortage of staff but putting patients&#39; lives at risk&#39;. 
 
&#39;Authorities seldom impose curfew here&#39; 
 
Omaid Rather, a resident of an uptown locality of Srinagar which usually does not witness protests, is stuck in his home from past several days.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The shops around here in Jawahar Nagar usually remain open even on public strikes and the authorities seldom impose curfew here but it is the opposite this time. The shops open for an hour in the early morning only that is when we buy food and other items,&quot; Rather said. 
 
If the restrictions and clashes continue, the locality, according to residents, may run out of medical supplies and subsistence which is transported via state highway, that has also been closed.&nbsp; 
 
Shutdown call by separatists extended by two days&nbsp; 
 
In the meanwhile, tourists in Kashmir are preferring to leave the tension-hit valley. &nbsp; 
 
Further, the annual pilgrimage to Amanath cave, carried out by hundreds of thousands Hindu pilgrims also remained suspended on Monday, in view of violence. A police handout said the stranded pilgrims near several camps have been evacuated to a different city. 
 
&quot;Till 1200 hours, 2,462 Yatris (pilgrims) left these camps for the holy cave, the pilgrim site, today. The air services are also going normally and 449 pilgrims left to visit the holy cave by air. As many as 2,799 pilgrims visited the pilgrim site today,&quot; an official statement by the state police said.&nbsp; 
 
As many as 1,28,946 pilgrims have visited the holy cave so far since the pilgrimage began from July 2. 
 
Meanwhile, the shutdown call by separatist politicians has been extended to next two days till Wednesday.&nbsp;

Majority of agitators, who died in the last 3 days, belong to the southern part of Kashmir where the situation has gradually worsened

Ensuing violence in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, after a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander was killed last week, has claimed at least 30 lives, leaving nearly 350 people injured whilst unrest refuses to die down. The Muslim-majority valley of Kashmir has been placed under strict curfew over past three days paralysing normal life in most parts. Mobile internet services also remain suspended for third day running. In some parts of the valley, however, people have been defying restrictions triggering further clashes. Situation worsens in southern Kashmir Twenty one years old Burhan Wani, tipped as the face of new-age militancy in Kashmir, was killed earlier on Friday in an encounter in Kokernag area. Wani hailed from a village in Tral in South Kashmir, where most of his associates were based. He gained popularity through social media network. After his killing, tens of thousands of locals joined his funeral prayers across the disputed region. A majority of agitators, who died in last three days, belong to southern part of Kashmir, where the situation has worsened amid growing unrest. In summer capital Srinagar, situation further deteriorated on Sunday evening after the death of a youth. Tension has gripped other parts of the valley as well. "There are clashes going on in our area between forces and locals, especially youth. So far, there is no eventuality but the situation doesn't seem to be getting better anytime soon," Owais, a resident of Bandipora in north Kashmir told Wion over phone. 'Medical emergency' declared by government-run hospital in Srinagar The number of injured has also risen putting a pressure on government hospitals in the state. A ‘medical emergency’ was declared by a government-run city hospital in Srinagar on Sunday in wake of the situation. “The situation is very bad as we continue to receive cases of injuries from across the valley. The hospital has received nearly 200 injured patients in two days. Many of them suffered bullet injuries and with wounds from lethal weapons like pellet guns,” Sri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital's Dr Adil Ashraf said. Routine admissions, theater and leaves of the doctors have been cancelled here. According to Dr Aadil, president, Residents Doctors Association at SMHS and associated hospitals, the government forces resorted to tear gas shelling inside hospital premises. "Four lung disease patients were being treated in the emergency room when police resorted to tear gas shelling leading to severe suffocation of patients," he said. A local, Mehraj Din, who was attending a 70-year-old man inside the hospital, claimed the police have beaten attendants inside the hospital. "This will make the suituation only worse as there is already too much anger among locals," he said. The hospital administration added the staff received calls from many doctors that ambulances were not allowed by Indian forces at several places adding to not only the 'shortage of staff but putting patients' lives at risk'. 'Authorities seldom impose curfew here' Omaid Rather, a resident of an uptown locality of Srinagar which usually does not witness protests, is stuck in his home from past several days. "The shops around here in Jawahar Nagar usually remain open even on public strikes and the authorities seldom impose curfew here but it is the opposite this time. The shops open for an hour in the early morning only that is when we buy food and other items," Rather said. If the restrictions and clashes continue, the locality, according to residents, may run out of medical supplies and subsistence which is transported via state highway, that has also been closed. Shutdown call by separatists extended by two days In the meanwhile, tourists in Kashmir are preferring to leave the tension-hit valley. Further, the annual pilgrimage to Amanath cave, carried out by hundreds of thousands Hindu pilgrims also remained suspended on Monday, in view of violence. A police handout said the stranded pilgrims near several camps have been evacuated to a different city. "Till 1200 hours, 2,462 Yatris (pilgrims) left these camps for the holy cave, the pilgrim site, today. The air services are also going normally and 449 pilgrims left to visit the holy cave by air. As many as 2,799 pilgrims visited the pilgrim site today," an official statement by the state police said. As many as 1,28,946 pilgrims have visited the holy cave so far since the pilgrimage began from July 2. Meanwhile, the shutdown call by separatist politicians has been extended to next two days till Wednesday.

30 dead in violence-torn Kashmir valley as clashes, protests continue for third day

Eight hundred additional central paramilitary forces (CRPF) troops are being rushed to Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of continued violent protests across the Valley.&nbsp; 
 
The reinforcements will be in addition to 1,200 personnel which were sent to aid the state police on Saturday. 
 
Official sources said eight companies (with 100 personnel each) of CRPF are being sent in the wake of ongoing protests. About 60 battallions (about 1000 personnel each) are already stationed in the state as part of counter-insurgency grid. 
 
A police station in Sopore was torched by a mob today while air force airport in Pulwama and other security installations in Kashmir have also came under attack as ongoing clashes between protesters and security personnel continued following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
The violent protests have so far left 23 dead and over 250 injured. 
 
Normal life has been paralysed due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike since Saturday. 
 
Restrictions on movement of people continued to be in place in many parts of the Valley including parts of Srinagar city, where the first death in the clashes occurred last evening. 
 
(PTI)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

A police station in Sopore was torched by a mob today while other security installations in Kashmir have also come under attack

Eight hundred additional central paramilitary forces (CRPF) troops are being rushed to Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of continued violent protests across the Valley. The reinforcements will be in addition to 1,200 personnel which were sent to aid the state police on Saturday. Official sources said eight companies (with 100 personnel each) of CRPF are being sent in the wake of ongoing protests. About 60 battallions (about 1000 personnel each) are already stationed in the state as part of counter-insurgency grid. A police station in Sopore was torched by a mob today while air force airport in Pulwama and other security installations in Kashmir have also came under attack as ongoing clashes between protesters and security personnel continued following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on Friday. The violent protests have so far left 23 dead and over 250 injured. Normal life has been paralysed due to curfew-like restrictions and separatists-sponsored strike since Saturday. Restrictions on movement of people continued to be in place in many parts of the Valley including parts of Srinagar city, where the first death in the clashes occurred last evening. (PTI)

800 additional CRPF troops rushed to Indian Kashmir in wake of ongoing unrest

TO BE REWORKED; DONT USE -- ANU 
 
 
He captured the imagination of the Kashmir valley&#39;s young and disgruntled. Handsome, some would say baby-faced, 22-year-old Burhan Muzaffar Wani was called the &quot;poster boy of the new insurgency&quot;, admiringly and disparagingly in turns. 
 
True to the generation he belonged to, Burhan was a consumate user of social media,&nbsp;something that became a powerful tool for him to recruit others like him to the ranks of Hizbul Mujahideen, the militant organisation he joined as a 15-year-old in 2010. 
 
Indian security forces dismissed him as a &quot;media creation&quot;, but clearly Burhan was important enough to be gunned down on the night of July 8. The security forces said he was killed in an &quot;encounter&quot;,&nbsp;a term used to describe an ambush,&nbsp;in a small village,&nbsp;Bamdoora,&nbsp;in the state&#39;s&nbsp;Anantnag district. 
 
He and&nbsp;his associates were supposed to have hidden in a house, fired at security personnel, and were claimed to have been killed in retaliatory action. There are reports that within the security establishment there were two views on whether Burhan should be caught alive or eliminated. 
 
The dilemma was well-justified given the outpouring of grief, anger and violence that is shaking Kashmir for the first time since the 2010 &quot;stone-pelting&quot;&nbsp;protests. 
 
More than a hundred thousand&nbsp;turned up for his funeral in Kashmir&#39;s Tral and prayers in absentia were offered all over the state. The situation became volatile and clashes broke out&nbsp;with 30 dead and more than 250 injured. 
 
What set Burhan apart from his contemporaries and seniors in militancy was his inisistence on remaining in the public eye. Unlike others, he never tried to hide his face, or shield himself with anonymity. Photos of Burhan dressed in military fatigues, carrying assault rifles, posing with his unit of a dozen, were a regular feature on Facebook and WhatsApp, that was later circulated by &quot;OGWs&quot; or over-ground workers of Hizb and, of course, his fans. His good looks had turned him into militancy&#39;s pin-up boy. 
 
Unlike the militants in the early 1990s when insurgency took off in Indian Kashmir, Burhan and his group of militants did not cross over to Pakistan. They trained in the Kashmir Valley and would use rifles stolen from police and paramilitary forces.

Burhan&#39;s transition as a militant happened almost over-night, if you go by the popular narrative in Kashmir, with a random thrashing at the hands of Indian Army personnel. 
 
Burhan and his brother, Khalid, were out for a ride on their new motorbike in their hometown, Tral, when they were stopped by Army men and&nbsp;asked to get a few cigarettes. When Khalid returned with them, he was still given a sound beating, and he fell unconscious. Burhan promised to avenge his brother&#39;s mistreatment.&nbsp; 
 
Six month&#39;s later, the headmaster&#39;s son decided to drop out of school and join the militant organisation, Hizbul Mujahideen.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;He remained mostly inactive during his early years in the group, but soon gained prominence after Khalid was killed in April last year,&rdquo; a police officer posted in Tral said.

Khalid was killed in equally tragic circumstances as he tried to meet Burhan in the Kamla forest that flanks Tral to try and pass on some home-cooked food in 2015. 
 
A joint ambush by the Indian Army and state police killed Khalid. His body bore marks of torture. Burhan managed to escape. Khalid&#39;s death established Burhan&#39;s credentials as a dedicated &quot;mujahideen&quot; (holy warrior)&nbsp;in the eyes of the residents&nbsp;of the region.

Khalid&rsquo;s funeral procession became a flashpoint in Tral with protesters pelting stones and the security forces retaliating.&nbsp;Intelligence officials believe that Khalid&rsquo;s funeral was a sign of what would transpire if Burhan, too, was one day gunned down.&nbsp; 
 
The skirmish during Khalid&#39;s funeral inspired a few local young men to join the ranks of the militants.&nbsp;Sabzar Ahmad, who was leading the protesters at Khalid&#39;s funeral,&nbsp;and another youth, Shakir Ahmad, went on to join Burhan&nbsp;the very next day.&nbsp;

Nearly a month after the funeral, Burhan, who was already active on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, posted a photograph of his with Sabzar and 10 others in military fatigues, carrying assault rifles,&nbsp;bringing him&nbsp;cult status.

Over the next few months, Burhan posted a series of photos and videos which popularised him among Kashmiri youth and recruits started pouring in. 
 
Even a policeman, Naseer Pandit, who was a state minister&rsquo;s guard, a coveted government job, escaped with his service rifle and joined Hizb after the incident, perhaps an indication of Burhan&#39;s increasing popularity.

&ldquo;Local recruitement increased as Burhan propagated violence on social media videos,&rdquo; a senior security official said. His activities earned him a top spot in the list of most wanted militants in Kashmir and an 1-million Indian Rupee bounty was declared for him. 
 
In a video message, circulated widely earlier last month, Burhan ruled out any attack on pilgrims visiting Hindu shrines, but openly challenged &lsquo;men in uniform&rsquo; to be ready for surprise attacks.

&ldquo;We have nothing against Hindu pilgrims as they are here (Kashmir) to carry out their religious duty, but the Indian Army and all those who are part of the Indian police and the military will be our target,&rdquo; Burhan had said in a video.

At 22, Burhan was among the youngest commanders of Hizb, which remains at the centre of the armed insurgency in Kashmir since the early 1990s. 
 
While security officials say the militant had no direct hand in any attack&nbsp;in the Valley, Hizb had carried out several high-profile ones while Burhan was leading the charge in Kashmir.&nbsp;

Hizb carried out two attacks in one day on May 23 in Srinagar in which three policemen, including an assistant sub-Inspector, were killed. In another attack&nbsp;claimed by the group, a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy in Bejbehara town, about 50 km from Srinagar, was attacked, killing three soldiers, and leaving scores injured.

Before his encounter on Friday, Burhan surfaced in another video about a week ago. The video featured him playing cricket at an undisclosed location.

In less than a year since his brother&#39;s death and the cult group photograph of militants being&nbsp;posted, most of Burhan&rsquo;s associates have been killed by the police. 
 
Ater Burhan&rsquo;s death, only three militants from the original group are alive.

The Hizbul Mujahideen commander took up arms against the security establishment after he and his brother were beaten up by security forces

TO BE REWORKED; DONT USE -- ANU He captured the imagination of the Kashmir valley's young and disgruntled. Handsome, some would say baby-faced, 22-year-old Burhan Muzaffar Wani was called the "poster boy of the new insurgency", admiringly and disparagingly in turns. True to the generation he belonged to, Burhan was a consumate user of social media, something that became a powerful tool for him to recruit others like him to the ranks of Hizbul Mujahideen, the militant organisation he joined as a 15-year-old in 2010. Indian security forces dismissed him as a "media creation", but clearly Burhan was important enough to be gunned down on the night of July 8. The security forces said he was killed in an "encounter", a term used to describe an ambush, in a small village, Bamdoora, in the state's Anantnag district. He and his associates were supposed to have hidden in a house, fired at security personnel, and were claimed to have been killed in retaliatory action. There are reports that within the security establishment there were two views on whether Burhan should be caught alive or eliminated. The dilemma was well-justified given the outpouring of grief, anger and violence that is shaking Kashmir for the first time since the 2010 "stone-pelting" protests. More than a hundred thousand turned up for his funeral in Kashmir's Tral and prayers in absentia were offered all over the state. The situation became volatile and clashes broke out with 30 dead and more than 250 injured. What set Burhan apart from his contemporaries and seniors in militancy was his inisistence on remaining in the public eye. Unlike others, he never tried to hide his face, or shield himself with anonymity. Photos of Burhan dressed in military fatigues, carrying assault rifles, posing with his unit of a dozen, were a regular feature on Facebook and WhatsApp, that was later circulated by "OGWs" or over-ground workers of Hizb and, of course, his fans. His good looks had turned him into militancy's pin-up boy. Unlike the militants in the early 1990s when insurgency took off in Indian Kashmir, Burhan and his group of militants did not cross over to Pakistan. They trained in the Kashmir Valley and would use rifles stolen from police and paramilitary forces. Burhan's transition as a militant happened almost over-night, if you go by the popular narrative in Kashmir, with a random thrashing at the hands of Indian Army personnel. Burhan and his brother, Khalid, were out for a ride on their new motorbike in their hometown, Tral, when they were stopped by Army men and asked to get a few cigarettes. When Khalid returned with them, he was still given a sound beating, and he fell unconscious. Burhan promised to avenge his brother's mistreatment. Six month's later, the headmaster's son decided to drop out of school and join the militant organisation, Hizbul Mujahideen. “He remained mostly inactive during his early years in the group, but soon gained prominence after Khalid was killed in April last year,” a police officer posted in Tral said. Khalid was killed in equally tragic circumstances as he tried to meet Burhan in the Kamla forest that flanks Tral to try and pass on some home-cooked food in 2015. A joint ambush by the Indian Army and state police killed Khalid. His body bore marks of torture. Burhan managed to escape. Khalid's death established Burhan's credentials as a dedicated "mujahideen" (holy warrior) in the eyes of the residents of the region. Khalid’s funeral procession became a flashpoint in Tral with protesters pelting stones and the security forces retaliating. Intelligence officials believe that Khalid’s funeral was a sign of what would transpire if Burhan, too, was one day gunned down. The skirmish during Khalid's funeral inspired a few local young men to join the ranks of the militants. Sabzar Ahmad, who was leading the protesters at Khalid's funeral, and another youth, Shakir Ahmad, went on to join Burhan the very next day. Nearly a month after the funeral, Burhan, who was already active on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, posted a photograph of his with Sabzar and 10 others in military fatigues, carrying assault rifles, bringing him cult status. Over the next few months, Burhan posted a series of photos and videos which popularised him among Kashmiri youth and recruits started pouring in. Even a policeman, Naseer Pandit, who was a state minister’s guard, a coveted government job, escaped with his service rifle and joined Hizb after the incident, perhaps an indication of Burhan's increasing popularity. “Local recruitement increased as Burhan propagated violence on social media videos,” a senior security official said. His activities earned him a top spot in the list of most wanted militants in Kashmir and an 1-million Indian Rupee bounty was declared for him. In a video message, circulated widely earlier last month, Burhan ruled out any attack on pilgrims visiting Hindu shrines, but openly challenged ‘men in uniform’ to be ready for surprise attacks. “We have nothing against Hindu pilgrims as they are here (Kashmir) to carry out their religious duty, but the Indian Army and all those who are part of the Indian police and the military will be our target,” Burhan had said in a video. At 22, Burhan was among the youngest commanders of Hizb, which remains at the centre of the armed insurgency in Kashmir since the early 1990s. While security officials say the militant had no direct hand in any attack in the Valley, Hizb had carried out several high-profile ones while Burhan was leading the charge in Kashmir. Hizb carried out two attacks in one day on May 23 in Srinagar in which three policemen, including an assistant sub-Inspector, were killed. In another attack claimed by the group, a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy in Bejbehara town, about 50 km from Srinagar, was attacked, killing three soldiers, and leaving scores injured. Before his encounter on Friday, Burhan surfaced in another video about a week ago. The video featured him playing cricket at an undisclosed location. In less than a year since his brother's death and the cult group photograph of militants being posted, most of Burhan’s associates have been killed by the police. Ater Burhan’s death, only three militants from the original group are alive.

Burhan Wani: The story of a short life

A police driver was killed today after a mob pushed his mobile bunker vehicle into river Jhelum in Anantnag district of Kashmir even as there was no trace of three cops reported missing since yesterday following a mob attack on a police station. 
 
In another incident, a head constable of police was shot in both legs by militants last night at his residence in Tral area of Pulwama district, a police official said. 
 
&quot;A mobile bunker of police was pushed into river by protestors and the driver (SPO Feroz Ahmad) in it has died,&quot; Education Minister Naeem Akhtar told reporters here. 
 
Referring to yesterday&#39;s incident in which a large mob attacked a police station, he said, &quot;Three policemen are still kidnapped. Although many were taken (hostage), some have returned.&quot; 
 
During that attack at Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir, the mob had taken 20 policemen hostage, snatched their weapons and shot at and injured three cops using those firearms. 
 
Nearly 100 policemen and paramilitary CRPF personnel were injured in stonepelting by protestors across Kashmir in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on Friday. 
 
(PTI) 
&nbsp;

In a separate incident, militants enter a head constable's home and shoot him in both legs

A police driver was killed today after a mob pushed his mobile bunker vehicle into river Jhelum in Anantnag district of Kashmir even as there was no trace of three cops reported missing since yesterday following a mob attack on a police station. In another incident, a head constable of police was shot in both legs by militants last night at his residence in Tral area of Pulwama district, a police official said. "A mobile bunker of police was pushed into river by protestors and the driver (SPO Feroz Ahmad) in it has died," Education Minister Naeem Akhtar told reporters here. Referring to yesterday's incident in which a large mob attacked a police station, he said, "Three policemen are still kidnapped. Although many were taken (hostage), some have returned." During that attack at Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir, the mob had taken 20 policemen hostage, snatched their weapons and shot at and injured three cops using those firearms. Nearly 100 policemen and paramilitary CRPF personnel were injured in stonepelting by protestors across Kashmir in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on Friday. (PTI)

Police driver dies after mob pushes his mobile bunker into Jhelum river

In a statement issued late last night, the chief minister of India&#39;s northern state Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, urged India&#39;s ruling government to reach out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. And to resolve the issues confronting the state through reconciliatory efforts to help end the violence that has left a trail of death and destruction in its wake. 
 
?Indian home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Mehbooba Mufti and assured her of all assistance from the government at the centre. 
 
The pain of the Kashmiris has reached such a level that the hope of peace is certain to gain substantial local support if tangible confidence-building measures are taken to address the issues concerning the state and its people, the chief minister said. 
 
Mehbooba said the people of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their age, gender, status or political affiliation, have been suffering the terrible consequences of the violence and turmoil that has wracked the state for more than two decades. 
 
They now want peace and stability to take root and even within the prevailing circumstances, there lies an opportunity to work on peace efforts should substantial steps be taken in the right direction. 
 
Seeking the people&#39;s cooperation in her peace effort, Mehbooba said the government is responsive to the people&#39;s needs and concerned about their problems, and is working judiciously and in a transparent manner to fulfil their expectations and aspirations. 
 
Flagging the problem of unemployment as a matter of grave concern, she said every section of society, including individuals, institutions, and organisations, have to be brought together in a spirit of creative enterprise. And that that would widen the economic and employment space in state, and in turn help channelise the youth&#39;s energies productively. 
 
Reacting to the deaths of civilians in the firing by security forces yesterday, Mufti asked that they follow standard operating procedure for crowd control and avoid the disproportionate use of force. 
 
&quot;Disproportionate use of force for crowd control results in loss of precious lives and grave injuries which should be avoided at all costs,&quot; she said. 
 
Urging for calm, Mehbooba sought the people&#39;s cooperation in restoring normalcy to the Valley. 
 
Violence only brings misery to the people and tragedy upon the victims&#39; families, she said. 
 
(PTI)

Say violence only brings misery to the people and tragedy upon the victims' families

In a statement issued late last night, the chief minister of India's northern state Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, urged India's ruling government to reach out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. And to resolve the issues confronting the state through reconciliatory efforts to help end the violence that has left a trail of death and destruction in its wake. ?Indian home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Mehbooba Mufti and assured her of all assistance from the government at the centre. The pain of the Kashmiris has reached such a level that the hope of peace is certain to gain substantial local support if tangible confidence-building measures are taken to address the issues concerning the state and its people, the chief minister said. Mehbooba said the people of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their age, gender, status or political affiliation, have been suffering the terrible consequences of the violence and turmoil that has wracked the state for more than two decades. They now want peace and stability to take root and even within the prevailing circumstances, there lies an opportunity to work on peace efforts should substantial steps be taken in the right direction. Seeking the people's cooperation in her peace effort, Mehbooba said the government is responsive to the people's needs and concerned about their problems, and is working judiciously and in a transparent manner to fulfil their expectations and aspirations. Flagging the problem of unemployment as a matter of grave concern, she said every section of society, including individuals, institutions, and organisations, have to be brought together in a spirit of creative enterprise. And that that would widen the economic and employment space in state, and in turn help channelise the youth's energies productively. Reacting to the deaths of civilians in the firing by security forces yesterday, Mufti asked that they follow standard operating procedure for crowd control and avoid the disproportionate use of force. "Disproportionate use of force for crowd control results in loss of precious lives and grave injuries which should be avoided at all costs," she said. Urging for calm, Mehbooba sought the people's cooperation in restoring normalcy to the Valley. Violence only brings misery to the people and tragedy upon the victims' families, she said. (PTI)

Chief minister urges Indian government to reach out to Kashmiris

PLEASE DONT EDIT. REQUIRES REWORK. -- ANU 
 
 
 
The&nbsp;protests that have followed&nbsp;the killing of&nbsp;Burhan Muzaffar Wani&nbsp;seem to be unprecedented. A&nbsp;look at his life,&nbsp;his&nbsp;stint with the Hizbul Mujahideen as the commander of the militant group,&nbsp;explains&nbsp;why the 22-year-old had such a huge following in a just&nbsp;seven years of&nbsp;being one. 
 
Burhan, referred to as the face of new-age militancy in Kashmir, became a household name after he, unlike his older counterparts,&nbsp;shed his mask of anonymity to encourage youngsters to join his cause,&nbsp;especially through social media. 
 
Burhan&nbsp;was heading a pro-Pakistan militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has been&nbsp;active since the early 90s in the valley of Indian Kashmir. Senior intelligence officials say that he&nbsp;had joined the banned outfit at the age of 15 after he, along with his elder brother Khalid Wani, were beaten up by government forces in his native village. 
 
&ldquo;He remained mostly inactive during his early years in the militancy, but gained prominence soon after his brother was killed earlier in April last year,&rdquo; a police official posted in Tral said. 
 
The death of his brother, according to the police official, elevated Burhan in the eyes of those who were already following him. 
 
Burhan&rsquo;s elder brother, Khalid, was killed in&nbsp;an encounter when he&nbsp;had gone to meet his younger brother in a nearby forest to give him food, said locals of Tral, a town in Jammu and Kashmir. His body bore visible marks of torture. &nbsp; 
 
Khalid&#39;s death led to speculations that Burhan&#39;s stand on militancy would soften&nbsp;and would even prompt him to surrender.&nbsp;But they&nbsp;were proven wrong when Khalid&rsquo;s funeral ceremony became a battle-ground. In fact, if anything, intelligence officials said&nbsp;that Khalid&rsquo;s funeral had signalled what was to come if Burhan was to be killed. 
 
During the funeral rites of Khalid, clashes between mourners, police and paramilitary forces ensued. Amid the demonstration against Khalid&rsquo;s killing, another local man, Sabzar Ahmad, led the protesters near the funeral prayer site close to Burhan&rsquo;s home. The following day Sabzar and another youth, Shakir Ahmad, left home&nbsp;to join Burhan&rsquo;s militant group. 
 
Son of a retired school headmaster, Burhan, was active on the social media. A&nbsp;month after&nbsp;his brother was killed, Burhan posted a group photo of his along with Sabzar and 10 others in military fatigues which showed them&nbsp;carrying AK series weapons.&nbsp; 
 
Over the next few months, Burhan and his group posted a series of photos and videos which only made him more popular. As a result, many more began to join the&nbsp;Hizb ranks in the coming months. Despite the police and security forces calling him a &lsquo;poster-boy&#39; who&nbsp;had no involvement in any militant activity on the ground, his popularity grew by folds&nbsp;whenever&nbsp;he posed for a picture. 
 
Burhan&rsquo;s group of homegrown militants included a policeman-turned-militant Naseer Pandit, who had decamped with service rifles while he was a state government minister&rsquo;s guard. 
 
&ldquo;Burhan&rsquo;s image on the&nbsp;social media led to more&nbsp;local recruitments. Burhan&nbsp;revived interest in the idea of violence by speaking about it in some of his videos,&rdquo; a senior security official said.

His activities earned him a top spot in the list of most wanted militants in Kashmir as the state also announced a&nbsp;bounty of 1 million Rupees&nbsp;on his head.

In a video message, circulated widely earlier last month, Burhan ruled out any attack on annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrims but openly challenged &lsquo;men in uniform&rsquo; to be ready for a surprise attack anytime.

&ldquo;We have nothing against the Hindu pilgrims as they are here (Kashmir) to carry out their religious duty but Indian army and all those who are a part of Indian police and military will be our target,&rdquo; Burhan had said in the video.

While his talk on&nbsp;safety of Amarnath Yatri&rsquo;s and &lsquo;advices&rsquo; to Jammu and Kashmir&nbsp;police did not seem to be an issue with security agencies, it was his call to rebellion against the state that had begun to threaten its security.

Burhan had surfaced in another video&nbsp;about a week before he was killed on Friday. The video featured him playing cricket in an undisclosed location with his associates.

In less than a year since the militants posed for the group photograph, the police had killed most of Burhan&rsquo;s associates. 
 
&ldquo;And, after Burhan&rsquo;s killing, less than three militants including Sabzar are left from the original band of militants,&rdquo; the official informed. &nbsp;

'Burhan?revived interest in the idea of violence by speaking about it in some of his videos,' a senior security official said

PLEASE DONT EDIT. REQUIRES REWORK. -- ANU The protests that have followed the killing of Burhan Muzaffar Wani seem to be unprecedented. A look at his life, his stint with the Hizbul Mujahideen as the commander of the militant group, explains why the 22-year-old had such a huge following in a just seven years of being one. Burhan, referred to as the face of new-age militancy in Kashmir, became a household name after he, unlike his older counterparts, shed his mask of anonymity to encourage youngsters to join his cause, especially through social media. Burhan was heading a pro-Pakistan militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has been active since the early 90s in the valley of Indian Kashmir. Senior intelligence officials say that he had joined the banned outfit at the age of 15 after he, along with his elder brother Khalid Wani, were beaten up by government forces in his native village. “He remained mostly inactive during his early years in the militancy, but gained prominence soon after his brother was killed earlier in April last year,” a police official posted in Tral said. The death of his brother, according to the police official, elevated Burhan in the eyes of those who were already following him. Burhan’s elder brother, Khalid, was killed in an encounter when he had gone to meet his younger brother in a nearby forest to give him food, said locals of Tral, a town in Jammu and Kashmir. His body bore visible marks of torture. Khalid's death led to speculations that Burhan's stand on militancy would soften and would even prompt him to surrender. But they were proven wrong when Khalid’s funeral ceremony became a battle-ground. In fact, if anything, intelligence officials said that Khalid’s funeral had signalled what was to come if Burhan was to be killed. During the funeral rites of Khalid, clashes between mourners, police and paramilitary forces ensued. Amid the demonstration against Khalid’s killing, another local man, Sabzar Ahmad, led the protesters near the funeral prayer site close to Burhan’s home. The following day Sabzar and another youth, Shakir Ahmad, left home to join Burhan’s militant group. Son of a retired school headmaster, Burhan, was active on the social media. A month after his brother was killed, Burhan posted a group photo of his along with Sabzar and 10 others in military fatigues which showed them carrying AK series weapons. Over the next few months, Burhan and his group posted a series of photos and videos which only made him more popular. As a result, many more began to join the Hizb ranks in the coming months. Despite the police and security forces calling him a ‘poster-boy' who had no involvement in any militant activity on the ground, his popularity grew by folds whenever he posed for a picture. Burhan’s group of homegrown militants included a policeman-turned-militant Naseer Pandit, who had decamped with service rifles while he was a state government minister’s guard. “Burhan’s image on the social media led to more local recruitments. Burhan revived interest in the idea of violence by speaking about it in some of his videos,” a senior security official said. His activities earned him a top spot in the list of most wanted militants in Kashmir as the state also announced a bounty of 1 million Rupees on his head. In a video message, circulated widely earlier last month, Burhan ruled out any attack on annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrims but openly challenged ‘men in uniform’ to be ready for a surprise attack anytime. “We have nothing against the Hindu pilgrims as they are here (Kashmir) to carry out their religious duty but Indian army and all those who are a part of Indian police and military will be our target,” Burhan had said in the video. While his talk on safety of Amarnath Yatri’s and ‘advices’ to Jammu and Kashmir police did not seem to be an issue with security agencies, it was his call to rebellion against the state that had begun to threaten its security. Burhan had surfaced in another video about a week before he was killed on Friday. The video featured him playing cricket in an undisclosed location with his associates. In less than a year since the militants posed for the group photograph, the police had killed most of Burhan’s associates. “And, after Burhan’s killing, less than three militants including Sabzar are left from the original band of militants,” the official informed.

How social media made hero out of Burhan Wani

Security forces said they shot dead separatist militant leader&nbsp;Burhan Wani&nbsp;in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, a figure well known for his calls to arms on social media.

As news of the 22-year-old&#39;s death spread, crowds pelted police with stones in Srinagar, the state&#39;s summer capital, and in some southern reaches of the state, officials said.

Authorities ordered restrictions on the movement of people and traffic in parts of Srinagar on Saturday and police said they had placed several separatist leaders under house arrest to prevent trouble.

Wani was killed, along with two others, in a shootout with police and soldiers at a house in Indian&nbsp;Kashmir&#39;s Kokernag area on Friday evening, the chief of police for Jammu and Kashmir, K&nbsp;Rajendra&nbsp;Kumar, said.

&quot;Wani&#39;s killing is a major success against militants in Kashmir.&nbsp;This year we killed 83 militants in Kashmir which is highest in recent years,&quot; Kumar added.

Wani, the son of a headmaster, was the head of Hizb-ul Mujahideen, seen as one of the main militant groups in a region that has been at the centre of a strategic tussle between India and Pakistan&nbsp;for decades.

Video footage of him dressed in fatigues and inviting young men join him in jihad, regularly appeared on Facebook, WhatsApp and other platforms.

In June, militants killed eight Indian police officials and injured 20 in an attack in Jammu and Kashmir claimed by Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The month before, militants shot and killed three Indian policemen. 
 
No internet 
 
Authorities today suspended mobile internet services in Kashmir Valley, while the cellular facility was completely snapped in south Kashmir in the wake of apprehensions of law and order problems, following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Burhan Wani, a police officer said. 
 
It has been done to maintain law and order and prevent the miscreants from spreading rumours which otherwise could lead to the situation turning violent, the official said.&nbsp;However, he said, the broadband services were working as usual. 
 
(With inputs from Reuters and PTI)&nbsp;

The young militant, a headmaster's son, cut a charismatic figure among the disaffected youth of the troubled Indian state

Security forces said they shot dead separatist militant leader Burhan Wani in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, a figure well known for his calls to arms on social media. As news of the 22-year-old's death spread, crowds pelted police with stones in Srinagar, the state's summer capital, and in some southern reaches of the state, officials said. Authorities ordered restrictions on the movement of people and traffic in parts of Srinagar on Saturday and police said they had placed several separatist leaders under house arrest to prevent trouble. Wani was killed, along with two others, in a shootout with police and soldiers at a house in Indian Kashmir's Kokernag area on Friday evening, the chief of police for Jammu and Kashmir, K Rajendra Kumar, said. "Wani's killing is a major success against militants in Kashmir. This year we killed 83 militants in Kashmir which is highest in recent years," Kumar added. Wani, the son of a headmaster, was the head of Hizb-ul Mujahideen, seen as one of the main militant groups in a region that has been at the centre of a strategic tussle between India and Pakistan for decades. Video footage of him dressed in fatigues and inviting young men join him in jihad, regularly appeared on Facebook, WhatsApp and other platforms. In June, militants killed eight Indian police officials and injured 20 in an attack in Jammu and Kashmir claimed by Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The month before, militants shot and killed three Indian policemen. No internet Authorities today suspended mobile internet services in Kashmir Valley, while the cellular facility was completely snapped in south Kashmir in the wake of apprehensions of law and order problems, following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Burhan Wani, a police officer said. It has been done to maintain law and order and prevent the miscreants from spreading rumours which otherwise could lead to the situation turning violent, the official said. However, he said, the broadband services were working as usual. (With inputs from Reuters and PTI)

Wani brought jihad to Kashmir through FB, WhatsApp

Indian Kashmir continued to be completely shut down for a second day today after 16 people died in clashes between security forces and protesters over the killing of militant separatist Burhan Wani. 
 
Streets were deserted as all shops, major commercial establishments, schools and colleges were closed in the capital Srinagar. Security was tight as troops patrolled the streets fearing trouble by locals. 
 
Mobile, internet services remain suspended in some parts&nbsp; 
 
Security forces gunned down three militants, including a top commander of militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, Burhan Wani, in Bumdoora village, 85 km south of Srinagar, capital city of Kashmir, on Friday. 
 
Wani, a 22-year-old militant, was known for his calls to arms on social media.&nbsp;Since then, the Kashmir Valley has been on the boil with protests breaking out at several places. 
 
To quell tension, prohibitory orders have been imposed in Kulgam, Anantnag, Tral, Kokernag and seven other police stations to maintain law and order. 
 
Mobile phone and internet services remained suspended across some parts of the state as a precautionary measure. 
 
Amarnath Yatra halted&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, a pilgrimage to a cave shrine of Amarnath in Kashmir was suspended for the second day for security purposes. 
 
The pilgrims were made to stay at a base camp in Jammu city set up by state authorities. 
 
Pilgrims, however, were determined to complete the journey. 
 
&quot;I believe in Lord Shiva and I will complete the journey even if I have to wait for two to four days. This is my 17th journey and I have never faced such problems before. I will complete the journey and then only return home,&quot; said a pilgrim from New Delhi, Nandlal Kukareja. 
 
Thousands of pilgrims undertake the journey or Amarnath Yatra to the shrine cave to worship an ice stalagmite called &#39;Shivling&#39;, a symbol of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration. 
 
The cave containing the holy Shiva shrine stands at a height of nearly 12,500 feet (3,888 metres) above sea level, around 141 kilometres from Kashmir&#39;s capital Srinagar. 
 
The 48-day pilgrimage is slated to conclude on August 18. 
 
Unrest in the valley&nbsp; 
 
Violence in Kashmir valley has spiked against a backdrop of rising social tension and separatist sentiment in the Muslim-majority region, which for decades has been at the centre of a strategic tussle between India and Pakistan. 
 
India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part. 
 
India accuses Pakistan of training and arming the rebels in the portion it controls and sending them to the Indian side, a claim its neighbour denies. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The streets are deserted, schools and shops shut. And security is tight as troops patrol the streets

Indian Kashmir continued to be completely shut down for a second day today after 16 people died in clashes between security forces and protesters over the killing of militant separatist Burhan Wani. Streets were deserted as all shops, major commercial establishments, schools and colleges were closed in the capital Srinagar. Security was tight as troops patrolled the streets fearing trouble by locals. Mobile, internet services remain suspended in some parts Security forces gunned down three militants, including a top commander of militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, Burhan Wani, in Bumdoora village, 85 km south of Srinagar, capital city of Kashmir, on Friday. Wani, a 22-year-old militant, was known for his calls to arms on social media. Since then, the Kashmir Valley has been on the boil with protests breaking out at several places. To quell tension, prohibitory orders have been imposed in Kulgam, Anantnag, Tral, Kokernag and seven other police stations to maintain law and order. Mobile phone and internet services remained suspended across some parts of the state as a precautionary measure. Amarnath Yatra halted Meanwhile, a pilgrimage to a cave shrine of Amarnath in Kashmir was suspended for the second day for security purposes. The pilgrims were made to stay at a base camp in Jammu city set up by state authorities. Pilgrims, however, were determined to complete the journey. "I believe in Lord Shiva and I will complete the journey even if I have to wait for two to four days. This is my 17th journey and I have never faced such problems before. I will complete the journey and then only return home," said a pilgrim from New Delhi, Nandlal Kukareja. Thousands of pilgrims undertake the journey or Amarnath Yatra to the shrine cave to worship an ice stalagmite called 'Shivling', a symbol of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration. The cave containing the holy Shiva shrine stands at a height of nearly 12,500 feet (3,888 metres) above sea level, around 141 kilometres from Kashmir's capital Srinagar. The 48-day pilgrimage is slated to conclude on August 18. Unrest in the valley Violence in Kashmir valley has spiked against a backdrop of rising social tension and separatist sentiment in the Muslim-majority region, which for decades has been at the centre of a strategic tussle between India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part. India accuses Pakistan of training and arming the rebels in the portion it controls and sending them to the Indian side, a claim its neighbour denies. (Reuters)

Kashmir stays shut down for second day running

In Jammu and Kashmir, Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated today with traditional religious gaiety and fervour, as lakhs of Muslims will be attending congregational Eid prayers in Eidgahs, Masjids and shrines across the Indian state.&nbsp; 
 
Eid-ul-Fitr, is the festival of thanksgiving and celebrated after the culmination of holy month of Ramadan.With the sighting of Shawaal Crescent late last evening, the Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated today across Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
This is for the first time in the past many decades that Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated on the same day in Arab countries, Pakistan and JK. 
 
The biggest Eid prayer gatherings will be held at historical Eid Gah Ground, Hazratbal Shrine, Polo Ground and other places in summer capital Srinagar. Similar gatherings will be held in Jammu city and district headquarters in all the three regions of the state, including Kargil and Leh districts. 
 
Men, women and children across state were seen walking towards Eid Gah grounds, mosques and other religious places to offer Eid congregational prayers.The state administration has made adequate arrangements for the facilitation of the devotees and security arrangements have also been made to maintain law and order.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

This is for the first time in the past many decades that Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated on the same day in Arab countries, Pakistan and JK

In Jammu and Kashmir, Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated today with traditional religious gaiety and fervour, as lakhs of Muslims will be attending congregational Eid prayers in Eidgahs, Masjids and shrines across the Indian state. Eid-ul-Fitr, is the festival of thanksgiving and celebrated after the culmination of holy month of Ramadan.With the sighting of Shawaal Crescent late last evening, the Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated today across Jammu and Kashmir. This is for the first time in the past many decades that Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated on the same day in Arab countries, Pakistan and JK. The biggest Eid prayer gatherings will be held at historical Eid Gah Ground, Hazratbal Shrine, Polo Ground and other places in summer capital Srinagar. Similar gatherings will be held in Jammu city and district headquarters in all the three regions of the state, including Kargil and Leh districts. Men, women and children across state were seen walking towards Eid Gah grounds, mosques and other religious places to offer Eid congregational prayers.The state administration has made adequate arrangements for the facilitation of the devotees and security arrangements have also been made to maintain law and order. (ANI)

Amid traditional religious gaiety, Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations begin in J&K