Curfew was imposed in Harwan, on the outskirts of Srinagar, after people thronged the streets to participate in the funeral prayers of an 11-year-old boy on Saturday. His pellet-ridden body was found late on Friday.
Nasir Shafi Qazi , nicknamed Momin, the youngest of three siblings, went missing soon after protesters in the New Theed village of Harwan were chased by security forces. Local residents found his body after news spread that he had gone missing.
Over 5,000 people defied curfew-like restrictions in New Theed village to offer funeral prayers for Nasir, a witness was quoted as saying to Greater Kashmir. Mourners shouted slogans in favour of Islam and independence as they marched with the body of Shafi.
The unrest in the Valley that began following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8 has now claimed 86 lives, including two policemen. Three civilians have been killed in clashes with security forces since Eid on 13 September. On Friday, a 13-year-old boy succumbed to tear gas shell injuries he had sustained on 5 September.
Online censorship continues in the Valley as state-run BSNL's broadband services have not yet been restored. Mobile internet is also shut down.
Meanwhile, the use of pellet guns that have blinded many protesters remains a contentious issue. Despite calls by opposition parties and rights groups to prohibit the use of pellet guns, the government has refused to enforce a blanket ban, although it has said that it is considering other means such as chilli grenades for crowd control.
