The situation in simmering Jammu grew further volatile on Monday after two Amarnath protestors died in alleged police firing at Samba. As the Jammu bandh entered the 12th day, the five towns in the Jammu region -- Jammu, Samba, Udhampur, Rajouri and Bhaderwah -- continued to be under curfew.

However, in many areas, people defied restrictions to come out on the streets to protest. In Samba, protestors blocked the Pathankot-Jammu highway and clashed with the police. The police tried to push them back with teargas shells and lathicharge. When the protestors refused to move, the police opened fire, reportedly killing two and leaving more than two dozen injured.

The dead have been identified as Sunny Padha and Sanjeev Singh. Among those injured was the newly inducted Samba SSP, Prabhat Singh, and four other policemen.

In Jammu city too, people came out on the streets though the Army stopped anyone from coming out of the lanes and bylanes. The Army has put barricades, barbed wires and ropes at various crossings and exit points. Today doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff in government hospitals took a day's mass casual leave to express their solidarity with the protestors, who are demanding that land be restored to the Amarnath shrine board.

At a Shiv temple, hundreds gathered and rang bells in unison as a form of protest. Protests were reported from Bernai, Gajansoo, Muthi, Chattha, Sarore, Baribrahmina, Akhnoor Road, as well as Vijaypur, Kathua and Ramban. In the evening, people took out rallies in Talab Tilloo, Janipur, Digaina and other parts of the city. At some of these places, there were clashes between protestors and troops.

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