Kashmir Youths Take on Indian Government as Separatist Struggle Starts Again

The government lifted a curfew in the Kashmir Valley yesterday with the hope of luring separatist leaders into talks.

But the offer has been rejected by groups that insist India withdraws its security forces.

Violence broke out in April when three young Muslims were killed by Army troops who claimed they were "unidentified foreign militants."

Their families said they had been murdered in staged "encounter" killings by soldiers to pass themselves off as heroes.
Dr Waseem Quereshi of Srinagar's Sri Maharajah Hari Singh Hospital said his staff had treated 57 young men mainly in their teens in the last week.

All but three had been shot by the security forces and four had died.

One was nine year old Sameer Ahmad Rah whose father told The Daily Telegraph his son had been beaten to death by paramilitaries from India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).