At least 500 incidents of protest have broken out in Indian occupied Kashmir \u00a0since New Delhi stripped the region of its autonomy and imposed a military clampdown more than three weeks ago, according to a senior government official.<\/p>\n
under a strict lockdown,\u00a0 Movements are restricted in the region and phone and internet services have been cut. Police have been using pallet guns and\u00a0 tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters in the main city of Srinagar.<\/p>\n
A senior government official told AFP news agency on Wednesday that at least 500 protests and incidents\u00a0of stone-throwing have occurred since August 5, with more than half taking place in Srinagar.<\/p>\n
He added\u00a0 \u201cThe number of protests could be much higher and bigger without the blockade in force, anger and public defiance is constantly rising\u201d.<\/p>\n
Nearly 100 civilians have been injured so far, with a further 300 police and more than 100 paramilitary troopers hurt, the official added.<\/p>\n
At least 4,000 people have been\u00a0 detained \u00a0across the valley, security and government sources told\u00a0 AFP<\/em>\u00a0 last week, including businessmen, academics, activists and local politicians, with a few released since then.<\/p>\n Another senior government official told AFP that at least 1,350 protesters – described by the police as “stone-pelters” – have been arrested since August 5.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, residents are refusing to resume their normal lives in an act of defiance, an AFP reporter in Srinagar said.<\/p>\n