September 10, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 09, 1429

SRINAGAR, Sept 9: More than two dozen people, including 10 policemen, were injured in occupied Kashmir on Tuesday when police clashed with hundreds of demonstrators in fresh protests against Indian rule, police and witnesses said.

Police opened fired and used teargas shells to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing demonstrators shouting “La ilaha illallah” (There is no god, but Allah) and “We want freedom,” officials said in Srinagar.

At least 36 protesters in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley have been killed by Indian security forces since last month in some of the largest pro-independence demonstrations since a revolt against New Delhi’s rule broke out in 1989.

More than 1,000 people have been injured in the protests, sparked by a decision to grant land to build shelters for Hindus making an annual pilgrimage to Kashmir, one of the most militarised regions in the world.

Indian troops have been criticised by Kashmiris and international human rights groups for using excessive force to quell pro-independence protests in the disputed Himalayan region.

Kashmir’s main separatist alliance accused government forces of cracking down on “peaceful protesters”. The government says the protests have been violent.

“Now security forces are arresting and torturing youth who participated in recent peaceful rallies,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference alliance said.

“If they don’t stop raids and arrests we will launch massive protests against security forces,” Farooq said in a statement.

More than 43,000 people have been killed since 1989.—Reuters