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handwaraIANS

The death toll during protests on Saturday in Kashmir over Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's killing on Friday has reached eight. Several people, including 94 security personnel, have been injured while three policemen are missing.

The details were given at a press conference by J&K police, reported the Indian Express.

Twenty buses are said to be stranded on the Pahalgam-Srinagar highway. Separatist leaders in Kashmir have asked people to extend the strike for two more days.

Former chief minister and J&K National Conference President Omar Abdullah said that Burhan Wani's killing may reignite militancy in the Valley.

The Valley has been put under curfew since Friday after the news of Burhan's killing broke. Burhan, often called the poster boy of militancy in Kashmir, was known for his video messages across social networking sites and was on the radar of the intelligence agencies.

"Burhan's ability to recruit in to militancy from the grave will far outstrip anything he could have done on social media," Omar Abdullah said in a tweet .

"After many years I hear slogans for "Azadi" resonate from the mosque in my uptown Srinagar locality. Kashmir's disaffected got a new icon yesterday," Omar tweeted.

Meanwhile, thousands were a part of the funeral procession of Burhan in his hometown Tral, nearly 40 kilometres away from the summer capital, Srinagar, according to ANI.

People defied curfew at many places in downtown Srinagar, North and South Kashmir. Protests broke at several places in the valley where the security forces and police personnel used tear gas shells to dispel the protesting crowd.

Sources told International Business Times India that intense firing was going on in Pampore town of South Kashmir.

Protestors attacked Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) office in Kulgam district of South Kashmir and damaged the building, the Press Trust of India reported.

The internet services have been shut in the Valley since Friday and the government may soon take a call on when to restore these services.

The annual Amarnath pilgrimage to Pahalgam area of South Kashmir has also been suspended temporarily by the authorities.

Story republished at 7.03 p.m. with additional details.