Protests over killing of missing Maisuma youth

A police vehicle set on fire by the protestors in Srinagar.

Police vehicle set ablaze, PPP calls for 3 day Kashmir bandh

Srinagar, July 08: Fresh protests broke out in summer capital of state Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday after the headless body of a missing youth was recovered, protesters set ablaze a police vehicle and damaging another which forces police personnel to fire teargas shells to disperse the mob.

People political Party Kashmir has called for three days Shut down in Kashmir and demanded the arrest of ‘perpetrators of the gruesome murder’.

The protesters were alleging that the youth was killed in custody while police denied the allegation.

Identified as Asrar Mushtaq Dar son Mushtaq Ahmad student of Islamia College was missing since last six days and was today found dead in Malkhah area of down town

Soon after police recovered the body of undergraduate student from Rainawari locality, Dozens of youth assembled at Maisuma and other parts of the city, pelted stones and enforced a strike in most parts of the city.

“The body of the missing youth was found with throat slit”, sources told News Agency of Kashmir.

Groups of youth protesting against the killing of the youth storm over a police Van at Budshah Chowk and set it on fire cops were beaten and the driver who tried to stop the agitators was injured.

Another vehicle was damaged at Partap Park despite having section 144 CrPC in force in the area.

The pitch battles continued till late evening and scores of the protesters were injured. “We demand action against the killer”, a protestor said adding he was not involved with any anti social activity but was a student.

If sources are to be believed Asrar had a tiff off with a son of police officer whose hand in the crime is suspected. Police has identified the killer and has registered a case under section 302 CrPC in this regard.

People’s political party (PPP) has called for bandh till Friday against the killing of the Maisuma youth.

“We condemn the killing of the youth and demand immediate arrest of the killer”, a statement quoting Hilal War as expressing strongly over the series of Mysterious killings.
“PPP chief has set the deadline of three days to the administration to present the perpetrators of the gruesome murder and has also called for Kashmir Bandh till Friday” the statement added.

“It is shocking that our youth are not only being killed by bullets and teargas shells but they are murdered under mysterious circumstances which has a pattern” the statement quoted War as saying and adding that He has given three days to the administration to present the killer of Asrar before public.

He has appealed people of Kashmir to protest such killings and observe complete shut down till Friday.

All Jammu Kashmir Students Front (AJKSF) has strongly condemned the killing of Asrar Ahmad son of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, a 2nd year student of Islamia College Srinagar.

Executive Member and Acting Chairman Jammu Kashmir Peoples League, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza in a statement pays glowing tributes to Asrar Mushtaq of Maisuma, 20, who had "disappeared" while in police custody in Srinagar.

AJKSF Chairman Wasim Shah in a statement expressed serious concern the way Student community has been facing ire of the worsening conditions prevailing in the valley.

Peoples League has also expressed solidarity with the family of the victim, adding, such repressive steps could not deter the Kashmiri people from pursuing the on going freedom struggle.

“We urge world human rights organizations to take notice of the situation and said that the Kashmir dispute should be addressed in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri people”, a statement issued by Mukhtiyar Waza said.

Jammu Kashmir National Front has strongly condemned the killing of a youth namely Asrar Ahmad of Maisuma and expressed serious concern over the increasing human rights violations by troops in Kashmir.

National Front Spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar called upon the world community and international human rights organizations to put pressure on New Delhi to stop the massive human rights abuses in the occupied territory.

Paying rich tributes to Asrar Ahmad & other martyrs, spokesman asked India to read writings on the wall that Kashmiris were ready to offer any kind of sacrifice for securing their right to self-determination.

He also denounced the continued detention of party Chairman & All Parties Hurriyat Conference Provincial President Nayeem Ahmad Khan & other political leaders, and demanded their immediate release. (NAK)