Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 18: For the first time since eruption of militancy in Kashmir, a police officer and a constable were arrested and Station House Officer (SHO) attached for firing at the protesters killing one of them and injuring two others in Narbal area in the outskirts of Srinagar in district Budgam today.
A group of youth pelted stones at vehicles and police party deployed at Narbal on Srinagar-Gulmarg road this morning to enforce a shutdown called by separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani against the arrest of Masrat Alam and killing of a youth in Tral in South Kashmir.
Police fired several tear gas shells and fired in air to disperse the stone throwing protesters. Police also fired at the protesters killing a 16-year-old boy, Suhail Ahmad Sofi and injuring two others. They were rushed to SKIMS hospital Bemina where Suhail was declared brought dead.
Reports said that police prevented the relatives of the boy to take him to hospital and he died due to loss of blood caused by gunshot wound. The ding dong battles between police and the protesters continued till evening in Narbal. The boy was buried in a local graveyard amid protests.
A relative of the boy said that Suhail was not part of the stone pelting mob and was shot dead by police from point blank range.
A pal of gloom descended in the whole area when Suhail’s body was brought from hospital. The women were seen beating their chests and wailing while sweets were showered on the body of slain boy.
Police said that they arrested the two cops including an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Manzoor Ahmad and constable Javed Ahmad for killing the boy. “The constable fired on the directions of the ASI. The boy was killed when forces came under heavy pelting and they opened fire”, police said.
A police spokesman said that preliminary investigation reveals that constable Javaid Ahmad had fired with his service rifle on the directions of Incharge police party ASI Manzoor Ahmad, in violation of laid down Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). “Both the ASI and constable have been arrested in the instant case and further investigation is underway. SHO Police Station Magam Inspector Khursheed ur Rehman has been attached for lack of supervision”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman further said that today morning an unruly crowd resorted to stone pelting on a joint police and security force party deployed on Narbal-Magam road.
“The forces resorted to firing to control the crowd of stone pelters resulting in injuries to one Suhail Ahmad Sofi S/o Abdul Ahad Sofi R/o Narbal, who later succumbed to his injuries. In this regard case FIR No 34/2015 under Sections 302,147,149,341 and 427 RPC was registered in Police Station Magam,Budgam”, the police spokesman said.
The District Magistrate Budgam, Mir Altaf Ahmad, has ordered magisterial enquiry under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner Budgam to investigate the reasons leading to death of Suhail and injury to 2 others protesters.
The chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference today called for a shutdown on Sunday in Budgam district against the killing of Suhail.
Geelani said in a statement that he and other separatist leaders will held a protest against the youth’s killing in Pratap Park Srinagar in the afternoon on Sunday.
Earlier in the day Police detained JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and Swami Agnevesh for leading a protest march in Srinagar’s Maisuma area. They were on their way to Narbal to express solidarity with the family of killed youth. However, they were released later.
Meanwhile, life in Kashmir valley remained paralysed due to strike called by separatists against arrest of Masrat Alam and killing of a youth at Tral. Shops and business establishments remained mostly closed and traffic was off the roads.
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