(Xinhua) -- At least 14 people including a policeman were killed and dozens maimed Monday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, after police fired warning shots to control the violent protests against the alleged desecration of the holy Koran in the United States, locals said.The police and government officials are yet to confirm the deaths.
Hundreds of Mohammedan residents in the region took to roads defying curfew after an Iran based television channel reportedly showed a group of people tearing apart pages of the holy Koran in Washington.
The protesters took to roads shouting slogans "Down with the U. S.!" and "Death to Koran desecrators!"
Apart from Srinagar, the region's summer capital, the protests and violent clashes against desecration were received from Budgam, Tangmarg, Bandipora, Charar-i-sherif, Pampore and other towns.
The irate protesters in Budgam and Tangmarg towns clashed with police and set ablaze several government offices.
The protesters also torched school building of Christian Missionary School in Tangmarg town of Baramulla, 40 km northwest of Srinagar.
Police fired tear smoke shells and warning shots to chase the protesters.
A radical Florida pastor's Terry Jones had threatened to burn the Holy Koran to mark the Sept. 11 terror attack anniversary. But according to media reports he later on called off the Koran burning.
Police front man in Srinagar described the reports as rumours and appealed people to maintain calm.
"As has been widely reported that Pastor Terry Jones has cancelled his plans to burn the Holy Koran, President of the U.S. in his address has also assured the Mohammedan world that such an act will not be allowed," said a statement issued by police.
Meanwhile,
...back at the ranch...
the hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called people to exercise restraint over the desecration of holy Koran.
"I can understand that emotions of Kashmiri Mohammedans have been hurt by the desecration of Koran. But at the same time, we have to control our emotions and not create such a situation which could given chance to vested interests to defame Islam and our movement, " Geelani said in a interview to a local newspaper.
Reports of the holy Koran desecration have further stoked tensions in the region that is battling the unrest for the past three months.