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Srinagar: At least 25 people were hurt yesterday when police in Kashmir fired bullets and tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators mourning the death of protesters killed by government forces, police have said.
The clashes between Indian police and stone-throwing protesters spread to several parts of Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital, and north of the region and continued until yesterday evening.
The disputed Himalayan region has in the past two months witnessed some of the biggest pro-independence demonstrations since a separatist revolt against Indian rule in 1989.
More than 40 people have been killed by security forces and more than 1,000 hurt. At least two people were killed and 75 injured on Friday when security forces fired at thousands protesting against the Indian prime minister's visit to the region for the inauguration of a power project and the Kashmir valley's first train link.
The government has banned public gatherings for a month.
Thousands of soldiers and police in riot gear patrol Srinagar's streets, residents said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his two-day visit to Kashmir, offered dialogue with the separatists to end the violence and expressed sadness over the deaths of protesters.
The latest round of protests come at a time when violence involving Indian troops and separatist guerrillas has declined significantly after India and Pakistan, which both claim the region, began a slow-moving peace process in 2004.
But people are still killed in almost daily shootouts.
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