Forces on killing spree: Girl among 4 dead

 

Source: The Kashmir Times

SRINAGAR/ANANTNAG: Killing spree by police and security men returned to Kashmir today claiming four more lives and plunging the capital Srinagar city into an explosive situation. Srinagar district including the city which was rocked by day long protests and violence was placed under curfew as situation appeared to be going out of hands. One hundred and eighty persons were injured in clashes. The protestors set ablaze two government vehicles, and a portion of the ancestral house of a National Conference (NC) leader.
The cops and security men used massive force against the mourners and even the family members of the slain persons were kicked and beaten.
The situation in south Kashmir continues to be tense. Anantnag and several other towns are still under curfew. The shockwaves of the Srinagar incidents ignited tension in north Kashmir.
The day began with the protests and search in Gangabug and its adjoining areas for a teenaged boy Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat who was missing since yesterday. While the search was on his body was brought by police from its control room to Gangabug claiming that it was recovered from a nallah. The body bore injury marks particularly the blood was oozing out from the injuries at his face, locals said. Photographs taken by mediamen also explicitly showed the injury marks on the face.
The people alleged that Muzaffar was beaten by CRPF and police, and then killed. Reports said the incident occurred when minister of state for tourism Nasir Aslam Wani was on move in the area yesterday. A group of youth raised slogans and held demonstrations. The security men accompanying him used force.
Police claimed that Muzaffar and three other boys jumped into the Nallah in which Muzaffar was drowned while the rest managed to cross over. But some residents of Gangabug alleged that Muzaffar was taken into custody by police and CRPF men and beaten. The boy received serious head injury and died in police custody, the residents alleged.
As the body was brought at Gangabug people took to streets and held demonstration. They blocked the bypass road and vehicular traffic movement on the road came to stand still. Police burst smoke shells and resorted to lathicharge. Some of the youth resorted to stone pelting. The men in uniform resorted to indiscriminate firing killing a youth Fayaz Ahmad Wani of Gangabug, an employee in floriculture department died on the spot. He is survived by his wife and two kids.
After some time thousands of people regrouped again and took the bodies of Muzaffar and Fayaz in a procession. As the procession moved ahead towards the Martyrs Graveyard, larger number of police and paramilitary forces resorted to firing in air, teargas shelling and cane charge. Such was the intensity of the force used that the mourners were forced to keep the two bodies on the ground. Father of a slain youth was severely thrashed by the police and CRPF men.
Police took over the control of the bodies and took those to police control room. More demonstration were held at Batamaloo Danderkha, Mehrajpora, Bemina, Barzulla and adjoining areas. The bodies were finally handed over to bereaved families after several hours. The people took the bodies to Maisuma as Fayaz originally hailed from that area. But the police and CRPF at Maisuma resorted to heavy teargas shelling and firing in air and did not allow the protestors to take the bodies inside the locality. The bodies were finally taken to Gungbug and later laid to rest with thousands of people attending the funeral amid rising of pro-freedom and pro-Islamic slogans.
As the demonstrations continued in Batmaloo area, police and CRPF resorted to firing and teargas shelling. Twenty three year old Yasmeen alias Fancy was hit by bullets and killed. The people alleged that cops resorted to indiscriminate firing resulting into his killing. However police claimed that she was hit by a stray bullet, fired in air by police, when she was in upper story of her house. The incident occurred at Lachmanpora Batmaloo.
Tension mounted in Batmaloo as thousands of people took to streets. Carrying the body of the woman in a procession they tried to march towards the Lal Chowk, but police and CRPF resorted to heavy shelling and firing in air in which 20 persons were injured. Despite heavy use of force by CRPF and police the protestors tried to move UN military observers’ office at Sonawar.
As this procession reached near hotel Broadway at Moulana Azad Road, police resorted to firing in air and teargas shelling. The protestors dispersed and took the body of Yasmeen back to Batmaloo.
The clashes and protests spread to Maisuma, Gowkadal, Exchange Road, Amirakadal, Magarmalbagh, Barzulla, Baghat, Natipora, Rambagh, Safa Kadal, Daris Kadal, Saki Dafar, Chattabal, Karan Nagar, Kaka Sari, Nowbazar , Nowakadal, Nalamar road, Saraf Kadal Gogiwara, Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Lal Bazar, Habba Kadal, Khanyar, Ranawari, Hawal, Fateh Kadal, Dalgate and adjoining areas.
Police and CRPF open direct firing at Maisuma killing 15 year Abrar Ahmad and injuring Owais Ahmad alias Mandela. The condition of Owais is said to be serious.
Meanwhile police used massive force to disperse a procession at Rambagh which wason its way from Chanpora to Lal Chowk. A similar procession from Karan Nagar was dispersed at Jehangir Chowk. Nearly 50 persons were injured in two incidents.
Angry mob set ablaze a government vehicle at Gogibagh bund. The protestors also attacked the residential house and MLA Irfan Shah at Magarmal Bagh. The policemen deployed there opened fire and resorted to tear gassing but mob set ablaze the guard room.
With situation deteriorating the authorities announced imposition of indefinite curfew in entire Srinagar district. But the CRPF and police were finding it difficult to enforce the curfew following public anger and massive protests. At several places including Batmaloo and its neighbouring areas the authorities could not impose curfew till late evening hours and police security personnel were chased away.
At least 20 persons including a police sub-inspector were
injured in south Kashmir while strict curfew continued to remain in
force in Anantnag for the eighth consecutive day today.
Curfew continued to remain in vogue in Pulwama and its peripheries ,
strict restrictions were in place in Shopian, Kulgam, Bijbehara, Dooru
Shahabad, Verinag, Kellar, Mattan, Achabal and Dialgam to prevent people
from participating in protest demonstrations, the call for which was
given by Hurriyat (G) and Dukhtaran-e-Milat.