Fourteen persons including a policeman were killed in violence in Kashmir today with mobs torching several government properties and a private school. The protests erupted following rumours of alleged desecration of the holy Quran in the United States. There were clashes and firing at Tangmarg, Ajas, Pampore and Humhama Budgam. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir government banned an international news channel, Press TV, after it aired a report about alleged desecration of the holy book. State Chief Secretary S. S. Kapoor told the media in Srinagar that there is a game plan behind airing of this particular news item. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government said that the hardline Hurriyat Conference was responsible for instigating today's violence. Addressing a press conference this evening, the State DGP, Kuldeep Khoda said that Imtiaz Haider, a close associate of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani instigated people at Budgam to defy curfew and target the public properties. He said the security forces faced law and order problems at around dozen places in the wake of alleged desecration of holy Quran in the United States aired by a lone TV channel. Providing the audio proof indicting Geelani, the DGP informed that in today's incidents, 13 people were killed and 45 injured. One policemen was also killed in Budgam while 113 police personnel injured including 41 seriously that included two Superintendents of Police. Mr. Khoda said that loss of property is quite huge. Meanwhile, an emergency cabinet meeting convened this evening by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appealed for calm. In a related development, the United States has expressed dismay over the violence following reports of a misguided individual desecrating the Quran. Briefing the media in New Delhi, the U.S. Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer said that deliberate destruction of any holy book is an abhorrent act. Strongly supporting appeal by local authorities for calm and peace, Mr. Roemer said that extremists in all countries seek to sow hatred rather than peaceful co-existence. While the Cabinet Committee on Security has decided to convene an all party meeting on Wednesday on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Reiterating the commitment to start the dialogue process, a release issued after the meeting expressed the hope that this will help in engaging the people of Jammu and Kashmir and also take certain initiatives and measures that will build confidence among the people of the state. The CCS which reviewed the situation in the state expressed distress at the turn of events specially the events that took place following certain rumours. An appeal was also made to the people in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the youth to refrain from violent protests and maintain peace and order. It said that every life that is lost and every person injured causes immense grief and adds to the complexity of the situation. It has also asked the people in the state to heed to the appeal and cooperate with the government to ensure justice, dignity, honour and peace.