SRINAGAR: Two more people died in India-held Kashmir on Friday, police said, as anti-India protests and clashes with government forces persisted despite a strict curfew in place for a 14th straight day.

One man died from injuries suffered earlier and another man died in fresh firing, said a police officer.

Authorities tried to prevent protests by barring people from Friday prayers in most of the big mosques but they prayed in small neighbourhood mosques instead, and the protests and clashes began afterwards.

Kashmir’s largest street protests in recent years erupted after Indian forces killed a top militant leader on July 8. At least 48 civilians, mostly teens and young men, have been killed.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2016