Curfew in Srinagar after Sikh killings

Curfew in Srinagar after Sikh killings
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Srinagar, Feb 4: Apprehending trouble in the wake of killings of Sikhs by militants on Saturday, an indefinite curfew was clamped on parts of Srinagar today and para-military forces deployed as tension ran high in the city.

Bodies of six Sikhs killed in Saturday's attack were taken to a gurdwara at Mahjoornagar here in a procession after they were handed over to relatives at the police control room.

A large number of Sikhs, furious over the killings, assembled at the gurdwara and said they would not allow cremation of the bodies till Central and state leaders visited Mahjoornagar.

They said they would even take the bodies to Jammu for cremation as "we are feeling insecure here". The agitated Sikhs also raised anti-India, anti-Pakistan and anti-militant slogans.

The authorities imposed curfew in areas falling under 13 police stations in Srinagar this morning as a precautionary measure, an official spokesman said.

He said the situation was tense but under control.

At least six Sikhs were killed and eight others, including a woman, injured when gunmen fired indiscriminately on a group of minority community at Mahjoornagar on Saturday.

PM sends team

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has deputed a three-member team to visit Jammu and Kashmir. The team, comprising state Minister for Civil Aviation Chaman Lal Gupta, Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers S S Dhindsa and National Commission for Minorities member Tarlochan Singh, will be leaving tommorow and submit its report to Vajpayee after visiting the state.