Adil Lateef
Srinagar, May 19: A long time Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) Over Ground Worker (OGW) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen last night and his bullet-riddled body was found at Gudoora village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district this morning.
A police officer said that body of Mohammad Yousuf Lone, son of Sanaullah Lone, resident of Gudoora of Pulwama was found at Gudoora. Police claimed that he was shot dead by militants yesterday near Hakhripora village in Kakapora area of Pulwama district.
“During the initial investigation, it was revealed that the deceased was fired upon by militants during the intervening night of May 18 and 19,” the officer said, adding that a case under FIR number 174/2017 under Section 302 RPC and 7/27 Arms Act has been registered. “Further investigation is going on,” he said. The police said that the slain was linked to Lashkar militants since many years and has also been detained once.
Soon after his body was spotted, hundreds of people gathered at the site and staged protests. Militants also appeared at the scene and fired in air to pay respect to the slain. The body of the deceased OGW was taken in a procession towards burial site before hundreds offered his funeral amid protests. The locals alleged that he was killed by security forces yesterday during a search and cordon operation at Hakhripora but latter outrightly rejected the allegation.
Meanwhile, massive stone-pelting clashes and protests erupted in Kashmir today after Friday prayers during which two persons were injured and one was detained. The call for protests was given by separatists against the detention of youth and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chairperson Asiya Andrabi. Soon after Friday prayers were over, Huriyat Conference activists assembled outside Jamia Masjid and staged a protest against the detentions.
As the protest concluded, dozens of youth pelted stones on security forces deployed outside Jama Masjid premises in Nowhatta. Police fired tear and chilli smoke shells towards the stone-throwing youth. The clashes between the two sides continued for around two hours and also spilled over to nearby Kadi Kadal area. Some of the youth were carrying posters in support of ex-Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa. A youth was injured and another was held during clashes at Jamia Masjid.
Dozens of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) also staged a protest after Friday prayers at Maisuma in Lal Chowk area but it ended on peaceful note. Intense clashes erupted between youth and security forces at Main Town, Bellow and Tral areas of Pulwama district. Police fired scores of teargas shells to disperse the stone-throwers but they did not budge and continued pelting stones for several hours.
The clashes between youth and security forces erupted at Lal Chowk area of Anantnag district for the second consecutive day. Yesterday, massive clashes had rattled the town after police allegedly thrashed a shopkeeper. Some of the students including girls also resorted to stone-pelting. Police in a statement said: “Today morning some miscreants tried to enforce the shutdown in Lal Chowk of Anantnag town by pelting stones. Police reached the spot and chased the miscreants away with the help of the traders. Normalcy was restored and the market opened up.”
The Sopore town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district also witnessed stone-throwing clashes between youth protesters and police after Friday prayers. Police used teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Similar clashes broke out at Hajin town of Bandipora district. The clashes also broke out at Kralpora and Trehgam areas of border Kupwara district. Police used teargas canisters against the stone-throwing demonstrators.
Locals of Batapora village of Kanihama in central Kashmir’s Budgam district staged a protest against the detention of 10 youth on stone-pelting charges. They also clashed with police. However the situation normalized instantly. In view of the situation, police had placed many separatists including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani under house-detention.
As per communiqué from District Magistrate, Srinagar Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, there would be restrictions under the jurisdiction of Nowhatta, MR Gunj and Safakadal police stations tomorrow as a “precautionary measure” to avoid any untoward incident. The restrictions shall be imposed to thwart protest rally of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on eve of his father’s death anniversary.
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