Despite strict curfew restrictions, anger yet again spilled on the streets of the tense and curfew bound Sopore town early morning as thousands of people joined the funeral procession of 23-year Bilal Ahmad who was killed in the paramilitary central reserve police force (CRPF) firing Sunday evening.

The town witnessed massive nightlong anti-India protests following the killing of Bilal.

Mosques reverberated with anti-India and pro-freedom slogans throughout the night as residents mourned Bilal’s killing which was the third since Saturday.

Carrying the body, the people defied a strict curfew in the town and marched to the main town square shouting pro-freedom slogans.

High tension gripped north Kashmir Sopore town as Indian security forces intercepted the mourners and fired warning shots and tear smoke shells to break up the protestors.

The body was later laid to rest in a graveyard amidst tears and tension.

The scars of Bilal’s killing were yet fresh when another tragedy struck the town as paramilitary CRPF shot dead another 20-year old youth Tajamul Ahmad Bhat Monday afternoon as a mob indulged in heavy stone pelting on the security forces near the local hospital in Sopore town.

The killing led to more trouble as angry residents came out on the streets to defy curfew restrictions and ventilate their anger.

Stone pelting was reported from almost all the localities of the town with authorities responding with crowd control measures.

More reinforcements were moved into the town to beef up the security.

Responding to the call given by the separatists, a procession was taken out from the adjoining Baramulla town which tried to march to Sopore, but was intercepted by the security forces near Delina village on the Srinagar Muzaffarabad road.

Paramilitary CRPF opened fire as the mob indulged in stone pelting this afternoon, killing a 15-year old youth Tawqeer Ahmad Rather.

As news about Rather’s killing reached Baramulla angry protestors clashed with security forces in the town.

Authorities had to face a tough time in controlling a huge procession that began from the old city of summer capital Srinagar on a call given by the moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq for a march to Sopore to protest the killings.

As the procession advanced it was joined by thousands of people en-route who despite strict security measures managed to cover a distance of nearly 20 km before being intercepted by the security forces.

Scores of warning shots, tear smoke shells and repeated baton charges were resorted to by the police to break the procession and halt its march.

Four persons were wounded as police finally stopped the marchers who were on motorbikes, on foot and other modes of transport.

The authorities have appointed a special inspector general of police and a senior civil officer as special commissioner for north Kashmir to deal with the prevailing situation.