Government forces fire tear gas to control anti-India protests after Eid prayers in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India – Government forces on Friday fired tear gas and used batons to quell thousands of anti-India protesters who turned violent after Eid prayers in various mosques in the Indian portion of Kashmir, police said.

The protesters, waving Pakistani and pro-militant flags and chanting pro-independence slogans, hurled stones at government forces who tried to stop them from marching in Srinagar and at least two other places in the region.

One person suffered critical injuries and was hospitalized after he was hit by a tear gas shell in Sopore, a town 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Srinagar, the main city in the Indian portion of Kashmir, a police officer said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Authorities tightened security and blocked all mobile and landline Internet services for two days, beginning Friday, as a measure to stop Muslim protesters from uploading pictures of animal sacrifices, especially slaughter of cows which are worshipped by Hindus.

Tension has been building in the region after a court two weeks ago upheld a colonial-era law banning slaughtering of cows and selling beef in the region, a decision resented by Muslims.

The Jammu-Kashmir state government in the Indian portion is likely to appeal the court ruling

The 1932 law made the slaughter of cows punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine. Indian authorities did not enforce the law for about seven decades.

Kashmir is mainly Muslim, while the majority of people in the rest of India are Hindus who hold cows sacred.

Insurgent groups have been fighting for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with neighbouring Pakistan since 1989. More than 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies.