SRINAGAR, Sept 08 (Reuters/NDTV): India imposed on Sunday curfews in several parts of the contested Kashmir region, after clashes between security forces and Shi'ite Muslims taking part in a procession, officials and eyewitnesses said.
In Guwahati Indian Home Minister Amit Shah declared New Delhi will throw "every single illegal immigrant out" of the country,
In Kashmir at least 12 locals and six troops were injured on Saturday evening, officials told Reuters, as the worshippers on the traditional mourning procession of Muharram clashed with troops trying to stop it.
Troops used tear gas and pellet guns on the crowd, which insisted on carrying on with the procession, one in a series held at this time of the year, and pelted stones at security forces, an Indian official who declined to named told Reuters.
"The clashes continued till late night during which the troops fired tear gas and pellets," he added.
A spokeswoman for India's interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
"Reasonable restrictions are necessary for peace and protection of life," India's national security adviser had said on Saturday, accusing Islamabad of trying to stoke violence in the region.
The most recent clashes occurred in Rainawari and Badgam, two Shi'ite majority areas of Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir's main city.
The five km procession route that passes through the city centre has been barricaded by armed troops wearing helmets and bullet proof vests.
On Sunday, police vans fitted with loud speakers announced curfew-like restrictions in Srinagar's city center Lal Chowk and adjacent areas, according to two Reuters witnesses.
"People are advised to stay indoors and not venture out of their home," the police announced.
Suhail Ahmed, a Rainawari resident, said that there have been frequent clashes in the area for last three to four days as troops have been trying to block the procession.
"We hear deafening sounds of tear gas being fired for last few evenings. We mostly stay indoors but the gas comes into our homes making it difficult to sleep," Ahmed said.
NDTV adds from Guwahati: Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has declared the centre will throw "every single illegal immigrant out" of the country, breaking his silence over the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) list that was released on August 31 and declared more than 1.9 million people as foreigners.
Mr Shah also declared the centre had no intention of altering or scrapping Article 371 of the Indian constitution, which grants special privileges to north eastern states.
"Various people have raised all kinds of questions on the National Register of Citizens (NRC). I want to clearly say that not a single illegal migrant will be allowed to stay in the country by the Government of India. That is our commitment," Amit Shah said at a North Eastern Council meeting in Guwahati today.
Amit Shah is in Assam for a two-day visit - his first since becoming Home Minister - that was preceded by the state government declaring Assam a "Disturbed Area" under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958.
Post the release of the final NRC list, some BJP leaders had expressed disappointment at the number of Bengali Hindus, who constitute 18 per cent of Assam's population and a majority of the party's vote bank, being excluded.
In the run-up to the final list exclusion worries had weighed heavily on people in the state's lower districts, which are dominated by migrant Muslims.
In national elections held this year the BJP won nine of 14 seats in Assam, backed by votes from tribals, Assamese Hindus and Bengali Hindus.
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