Curfew extended in Indian Kashmir after clashes

Authorities extend curfew in a town in Kashmir for a third day as tensions rise after two people are killed and dozens wounded in Hindu-Muslim clashes.

Indian Border Security Force soldier Pawan Kumar lies in a hospital bed in Jammu after being injured in firing on the border with Pakistan.

SRINAGAR, India // Authorities extended a curfew in a town in Kashmir for a third day yesterday as tensions rose after two people were killed and dozens wounded in Hindu-Muslim clashes.

Stores and buildings were torched in Friday's clashes, which erupted in Kishtwar town, 150 kilometres south-east of Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar after Muslim prayers.

Omar Abdullah, the state's chief minister, said yesterday that authorities would do "everything possible to restore calm in the region".

The curfew extension came as Pakistan and India accused each other of fresh firing between their two borders.

The fighting is the latest in a spate of recent cross-border skirmishes between the countries, which have fought three wars since independence from British rule in 1947 - two of which were over the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.

The violence in Kishtwar broke out when several hundred Muslims staged a march and shouted slogans against India demanding freedom before being assaulted by Hindus who objected to the demonstration.

Rebel groups have been battling Indian forces since 1989, calling for the territory to be made independent or become part of Pakistan, in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands, mostly civilians.

Authorities extended the curfew and deployed the army to prevent further outbreaks of violence after reports of fresh clashes emerged late on Saturday, Mr Abdullah said.

Kishtwar residents have alleged members of the Village Defence Committees - semi-official local militias drawn mostly from the Hindu community and backed by the government to fight militants - used weapons during Friday's clashes.

Mr Abdullah said the government was considering options, including a possible recall of weapons from the committees.

"One option available to us is to ask people to deposit all licensed weapons in the nearest police stations," he said.

Shops and other businesses were closed all weekend in Jammu, Indian Kashmir's winter capital, in response to shutdowns called by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Businesses also stayed shut in Srinagar in response to a strike over the clashes called by a top separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani, who had demanded "peaceful protests" following what he branded "state terrorism" after Eid prayers.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by a heavily militarised Line of Control but both countries claim the Himalayan territory in full.

In the latest round of cross-border firing, Indian officials said one of their soldiers was wounded when Pakistani troops fired along the Jammu border near the town of Samba, 172 kilometres south of Srinagar yesterday.

"One border security force soldier injured from sniper shots fired by the Pakistan soldier. We retaliated and the firing went on for some time," NS Jamwal, a border security force official said.

Pakistan also accused Indian forces of firing on its border posts close to the eastern city of Sialkot in Punjab province.

"Indian border security forces resorted to unprovoked firing on Pakistani Rangers posts near Pukhlian, Head Marala area, in Sialkot sector," a military official, said.

"Intermittent exchange of fire continues. No loss reported so far."

The official said that after exchanging fire on the border in the Punjab province, the Indian troops then fired at the line of control in the disputed Kashmir region.

"Indian troops also resorted to unprovoked firing at the LOC in Nakial sector near Kotli," he said.

The escalation in firing comes days after India accused Pakistan's military of involvement in an ambush in Kashmir that killed five Indian soldiers and punctured hopes of a resumption in peace talks.