Varmul: Another youth killed, another battling for life, toll reaches 3

Tensions continued in Baramulla town of north Kashmir Tuesday, when another agitating youth got killed in police firing while other youth sustained critical bullet injuries and is battling for life in SKIMS Srinagar besides dozens of other protestors got injured in day stone-pelting battles

Baramulla, June 30: Tensions continued in Baramulla town of north Kashmir Tuesday, when another agitating youth got killed in police firing while other youth sustained critical bullet injuries and is battling for life in SKIMS Srinagar besides dozens of other protestors got injured in day stone-pelting battles in Baramulla town after mobs defying curfew imposed by authorities in Baramulla to prevent further escalation in violence following the killing of two youth in police firing yesterday.

However, protests erupted in Bandipora, Sopore and other adjoining areas in north Kashmir leavening dozens of people injured.

Eyewitness said hundreds of youth took to streets in old town, Khanpora area in Baramulla today to protest against the killings and clashed with police and paramilarty forces in which a youth got killed while another sustained bullet injures was later referred to Srinagar.

They said as the protesters tried to proceed towards the Cement Bridge, police and CRPF, deployed in strength to enforce curfew, opened fire on them, leaving Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Bashir Ahmad Bhat critically injured.

He was rushed to district hospital by army from where he was rushed to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura for specialized treatment.

Bhat was rushed to the Soura Medical Institute in Srinagar where doctors described his condition as very critical.

Eyewitness said, “As injured Bilal was being rushed to Baramulla hospital in an army vehicle of 46 RR, CRPF personnel thrashed an army official and other troopers and youth accompanying the injured boy.”

Army sources confirmed to News Agency of Kashmir that an army official of 46 RR and five other troopers were severely thrashed by CRPF and police personnel on Cement Bridge when they were rushing an injured youth to hospital.

However, police sources said that the youth was hit by army bullet.

The youth, identified as Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Bashir Ahmed Bhat of Jamia Mohalla Baramulla was reportedly hit by a bullet in his head after protesters defied curfew in the old town area and resorted to throwing stones at the deployed police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The firing further aggravated the infuriated mob, who pelted stones at the police and CRPF which resorted by firing teargas canisters.

In the clashes, five more persons sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital. A youth identified as Ghulam Nabi Gojri was later referred to SKIMS, Soura for specialized treatment.

Authorities had to impose indefinite curfew in the town Monday after two youth were killed and thirteen wounded as highly agitated protesters resorted to violence in Baramulla.

The protests had begun following allegations by a local woman that she had been abused by a police officer inside a police station.

Meanwhile in Bandipora district of North Kashmir protest erupted against the killing in which five protestors were also injured when protesting people clashed with police and paramilitary forces.

In the fresh evening clashes, a youth was killed in police firing at Khanpora Baramulla.

The deceased youth was identified as Fayaz Ahmed Gojri son of Ghulam Mohammed Gojri.

Eyewitness said, “When we tried to rush the youth to district hospital Baramulla, the CRPF personnel didn’t allow the hospital ambulance to reach Baramulla and we took him through a boat via old town but doctors declared him brought dead.”

Medical Superintendent District Hospital Baramulla told News Agency of Kashmir that the youth was brought dead in district hospital Baramulla.

Following the fresh killing thousands of men women and children took to streets and demanded immediate withdrawal of CRPF troopers from Baramulla town.

With heavily deployment of police and CRPF troopers, barricades and concertina wires were erected at various crossing points and no one except possessing valid curfew passes were allowed, the sources said, adding, shops, business establishments alongside schools and colleges remained closed in the area.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday deputed Rural Development Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar, Education Minister Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Masuad Samoon and Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) B. Srinivas to express grief to the bereaved families and to meet local officials and senior citizens in the town.

A high level three hour emergency meeting was held to take stock of law and order situation in Baramulla district following the killing of two youth.

After talking to Baramulla residents and other senior citizens and the officials, the ministers said the chief minister was grieved at the loss of lives in the town and a magisterial probe had already been ordered by the local district magistrate.

Taking to media persons after the meeting, Ali Mohmmed Sagar said, “A magisterial probe had already been ordered by the local district magistrate into the incident. The probe would ascertain if the security forces had used excessive and unwarranted force in tackling the law and order situation in the town and also look into the woman’s complaint of harassment which had triggered the protests.”

“If anyone among the security forces is found guilty of having violated the standard operating procedure and use of excessive and unwarranted force, he would be sternly dealt with, the ministers assured the locals,” added Sagar.

Sources said over two dozen policemen and protesters had been injured in intermittent clashes between the troops and the stone-throwing agitators.

Terming yesterday’s incident as unfortunate, the Ministers regretted the loss of precious lives in the incident. While interacting with local people in a meeting called on the occasion, the Ministers assured them that the culprits identified after submission of enquiry report will be given exemplary punishment.

Urging people to exercise restraint, the Ministers asked them to be vigilant against forces bent upon disturbing peace in the district.

The Ministers asked the District Administration to provide ex gratia relief to the next of kin of those killed and also prepare their cases for benefit under SRO 43.

The Deputy Commissioner, on the occasion, briefed the Ministers about the current situation and said an enquiry has been ordered under Additional Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, which has been asked to submit report within 10 days.

Reports said that authorities clamped curfew in at dawn this morning in Sopore town following the violence in the area.

“By the order of district magistrate Baramulla, curfew was clamped in Sopore,” Station House Officer, Sopore, Farooq Ahmad told Media

Massive protests erupted in the apple town on Monday after the news about the death of two persons in police firing in Baramulla spread in the area.

Meanwhile Senior Hurriyat leader and chairman salvation Moment Zaffar Akbar Bhat was detained by the Pattan police while on way to Baramulla. “Zaffar Akbar Bhat along with other activists was on way to Baramulla when police arrests him at Pattan”, a close aide of Bhat told News Agency of Kashmir.

He said He was leading a delegation comprised of Javaid Mir Bashir Ahmad, Nisar and others who were on way to Baramulla to pay tributes to the 2 youth who were killed in police firing.(NAK)