SRINAGAR - Eleven people died and dozens were injured in violence across Indian Kashmir Monday, including eight labourers shot dead by suspected Islamic militants, police and army spokesmen said. The labourers from the northern state of Bihar were shot dead by suspected rebels in the southern district of Anantnag, army spokesman Hemant Junaja said. He said five others were hurt. None of the dozen groups fighting Indian rule in mainly Muslim Kashmir claimed responsibility for the attack.In the southern city of Jammu a man was killed and 20 injured, four seriously, when suspected Islamic rebels launched a grenade attack at a bus station crowded with Hindu pilgrims. Those caught in the blast were standing near a counter opened to register devotees for the annual pilgrimage to the icy Armanath cave shrine in southern Kashmir, said Senior Superintendent of Police Mukesh Singh. He added, however, that none of the scores of devotees waiting to set out on the pilgrimage was among the casualties. The pilgrimage, which authorities expect to attract 500,000 devotees, has been marred in the past by deadly attacks by separatist groups.
Police shot and killed one person and 25 more were injured in a clash with villagers over the alleged desecration of a mosque by Indian soldiers. The killing happened in the village of Trehgam in northern Kupwara district when angry protesters attacked police who fired in self-defence, a police spokesman said. The protesters were angry at a raid by soldiers on a mosque in a neighbouring village late Friday, saying it had been desecrated. The army denied any wrongdoing. MondayÂ’s clash followed similar incidents at the weekend that left one protester dead after soldiers opened fire on Saturday.
In the northern town of Sopore a police officer was shot and killed at point-blank range by a suspected militant.