3 more protesters die in Indian-controlled Kashmir

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Three more protesters died in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Sunday, police said.

The protesters had sustained wounds in the previous days and were undergoing treatment in the hospitals in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "Three persons succumbed to injuries in two different hospitals early morning today. These include Mohammad Amin Ganai of Tappar- Pattan, Shabir Ahmad Dar of Lidermud-Pulwama and Bilal Ahmad Najar of Khanabal-Anantnag," police said.

Police spokesman said the slain were wounded during a police action on "unruly mobs".

The latest deaths have taken death toll of civilians -- mostly teenagers and young men -- to 107 in the more than three-month- long agitation. The number of injured is not exactly known and rough estimates say their number is more than 1,000.

The deaths triggered fresh protests. Residents took to streets as the bodies reached their respective places of northern Baramulla and southern Pulwama and Anantnag.

The residents staged demonstration chanting pro-independence and anti-India-slogans.

Hospitals in Srinagar city and other towns are facing shortage of medicines.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris and each death is pushing the region on edge and triggering fresh wave of protests.

Both local government and New Delhi is battling hard to contain the protests.

The latest deaths took place ahead of a high-level Indian political delegation that is likely to visit the region on Monday to assess "ground realities" before taking any major initiative aimed at bringing peace in the region.

The separatists have already rejected the nomination of Indian all-party delegation to the region and termed it the "wastage of time". The hardliner Syed Ali Geelani, who is spearheading the " Quit India movement" in the region has decided not to meet the delegation.

The pro-Indian Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sunday threatened to reconsider its decision to meet the visiting delegation.

"If the repressive measures continue, we will have to reconsider our decision," PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters during a press conference.

Mufti accused the local government of sabotaging the visit by imposing curfew.

"What is the purpose of all-party delegation, if the members of the civil society, those raising the voice of dissent and the common people are not allowed to meet it," Mufi asked.

PDP is the region's main opposition pro-Indian party.

Meanwhile, round the clock curfew is in force across all the Muslim dominated areas of the region for the eighth straight day to contain large scale protests. On Saturday curfew was relaxed in some localities of Srinagar for few hours, however no such relaxations were announced on Sunday.

Thousands of policemen and India's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in full-riot gear have been deployed along the streets and roads of towns to enforce restrictions. These men have laid barricades and concertina on roads and intersections to restrict civilian movement.

Locals said police vehicles fitted with public address systems announced curfew and warned residents against defying it.

People living in the curfew bound areas are complaining dearth of eatables, milk, baby food and medicines

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