Hundreds came out to protest the killing of Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, head of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group.
Thousands of people in Indian-occupied Kashmir defied a new curfew Sunday, imposed following mass protests over the killing of a top rebel commander just weeks after India led one of the largest security crackdowns in the region.
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Indian authorities have gagged the region once again, partially cutting telephone services and snapping internet mobile services, just hours after a month-long ban on 22 social media sites had ended.
Following the killing of Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, head of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group, in a clash with government forces, thousands came out to protest throughout the region, resulting in the death of one protester, who was shot dead by Indian troops. Dozens of others were also injured as they marched, defying security to attend the commander’s funeral, chanting slogans for independence and against occupation.
The Muslim region was struck with the lockdown on the first day of the Islamic observance of fasting, Ramadan, with Srinagar's central mosque shut down, barring people from offering prayers on the holy occasion.
Last summer, nearly 100 protesters were killed by Indian security forces after the militant chief Burhan Wani was killed, which triggered months of protests. Bhat had taken over as the leader.
The 28-year armed struggle against Indian occupation forces in the region, who maintain their control over the territory that is considered the most densely militarized region of the world, has seen both rebels and ordinary Kashmiris fight against the roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the region, with some demanding independence and others a merger of the entire territory with Pakistan.