Indian Police teargas Indian Kashmir Protesters  
'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Desk

SRINAGAR (IHK): Police on Friday used teargas on stone-pelting protesters demanding probes into nearly 1,000 unmarked graves discovered in Indian Kashmir over the past two years.

The clashes in summer capital Srinagar came two weeks after the Association of Parents of Disappeared People reported finding 940 "nameless graves" in Uri district, which neighbours the Pakistan-administered zone of Kashmir.

Amnesty International has also asked the government to determine if any graves contain the bodies of those listed as missing by local rights groups.

Scores of protesters poured out of the revolt-hit region's main mosque in Srinagar after Friday prayers chanting "open the graves" and "Allah is Great." Police charged them with batons and later fired teargas.

"Several policemen, a cameraman and a few of the protesters were hurt," police officer Imtiaz Ahmed said.

The clashes came immediately after thousands of Muslims held special prayers at the mosque for the dead buried in the unnamed graves.

Separately, over 400 people marched through the streets of Srinagar demanding information on those who disappeared after arrest by the security forces.

Since the insurgency erupted in the disputed region in 1989, police say 331 people have died in custody and another 111 have disappeared after being arrested.

Officials contend many of the missing crossed over to Pakistan to join the insurgents and say the graves are those of rebels killed in action.

Human rights groups, however, say 8,000 people are missing, with the majority having first been arrested by Indian security forces.

The insurgency has left more than 43,000 people dead by official count, while rights groups put the toll at 70,000 dead and disappeared.●