June 29, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 24, 1429

SRINAGAR, June 28: At least 60 people were injured when police and protesters clashed for a sixth consecutive day on Saturday in occupied Kashmir as resistance to the transfer of land to a Hindu pilgrim group deepened.

Scores of people, including Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, were hurt when protesters clashed with police in the heart of occupied Srinagar.

“Mr Malik was admitted to a hospital, he is safe” Mohammad Amin, a police official said.

At least 12 paramilitary soldiers were injured in clashes with protesters. Seven policemen were also hurt.

The week-long protests started when authorities transferred nearly 100 acres of forest land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), a Hindu trust, to erect shelters for thousands of Hindu pilgrims who annually trek to a cave shrine in the mountains.

The Indian constitution prohibits outsiders from buying land in Kashmir.

“It will become impossible for the Kashmir leadership to control public anger if the order is not revoked immediately,” said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who heads the moderate faction of the region’s main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference.

“The present situation reminds me of 1990, it is all disturbing,” Omar Abdullah, chief of Kashmir’s main opposition party, the National Conference party, said.

“The issue does not stop there,” said Farooq. “There are thousands of acres of land occupied by the Indian army that also needs be addressed.”

Three people have died in police fire and about 300 have been injured in clashes, evoking memories of widespread anti-India protests that swept the region after an armed campaign broke out in 1989.

Daily life in Srinagar has come to a halt since the protests began on Monday. Protesters have been destroying government property and hoisting green flags.

Shops, offices and banks remained shut, as protests spread to other parts of the valley.

—Agencies